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Huang Shaotian was up to something and he had teamed up with the rest of Blue Rain because no matter how many times Yu Wenzhou fixed one of his teammates with a searching look, they just scrambled away.
Usually someone would be willing to sell Huang Shaotian out, but no matter who he probed at, everyone was keeping quiet. Zheng Xuan quaked dramatically under Yu Wenzhou’s narrowed eyes and just pulled Yu Feng in front of him as a shield.
Yu Feng faltered gratifyingly under the stare and he smacked ineffectually at Zheng Xuan.
“What, you're too lazy to run from the captain, but you’ll use me as your human shield?” Zheng Xuan’s yawn was wide and conveyed nothing but his desire to have a nap, however his vice grip on Yu Feng’s arm betrayed how alert he was.
“We’re partners, that means we stand together, against rival teams, against Huang Shaotian’s chatter, and against Yu Wenzhou’s scary looks, no offense captain.”
“If I do take offense, would you tell me what Huang Shaotian is up to?” Yu Feng straightened his spine and shook his head while Zheng Xuan shrugged helplessly.
“We can’t captain, we promised. If you want to take offence we can make it up to you another way.”
“What we, I didn’t say anything about the captain’s face.” Yu Feng’s grumble was performative and lacked any real heat behind it and Yu Wenzhou considered for a moment.
“If you get me some of Yu Feng’s cousin’s macarons, I’ll let it go.” Yu Feng noticed that both Zheng Xuan and Yu Wenzhou were focused on him and he sighed gustily.
“Fine, fine, fine, I’ll atone for the crime of standing nearby while Zheng Xuan insults your face. I’ll message her tomorrow.” Yu Wenzhou flashed them both a bright grin before turning on his heel to leave. He’s still within earshot to catch Zheng Xuan’s laugh and Yu Feng’s yelp, and he suspects if he turns he’ll find Yu Feng sprawled across Zheng Xuan, captured to have a nap.
He doesn’t bother to turn, he’s got his next possible informant already in mind.
Li Yuan looked concerned as Yu Wenzhou took a seat in front of him at lunch and he suspects Yu Feng and Zheng Xuan have already told the team about their encounter. Li Yuan carefully placed a bookmark between the pages of his novel before putting it down, wariness in his eyes.
“Are you enjoying lunch today captain?” Yu Wenzhou arched an eyebrow, Li Yuan wasn't one to call him captain outside of practice or interviews, opting for his name. The formality solidified his thought that Yu Feng and Zheng Xuan had warned the team.
“I would be, but I’ve noticed that Shaotian hasn’t joined us today, and that you have an extra plate next to you. Would you know anything about what he’s doing instead of eating?” Li Yuan looked like he was sterling himself for war as he met Yu Wenzhou’s gaze.
“I don’t know anything about what Vice-Captain Huang Shaotian is up to. I don’t think he has told any of us what he is doing. If Captain Yu Wenzhou needs to know something he should speak to Vice-Captain Huang Shaotian.” Yu Wenzhou wanted to laugh at Li Yuan’s strategy of holding strong and he settled for patting him on the shoulder as he left.
He could hear the audible sigh of relief from behind him and he smiled, knowing he was showing too much teeth. Three holding strong, two to go.
“Run.” Xu Jingxi’s eyes were frantic when they met Song Xiao’s and after hearing testimonials from Zheng Xuan, Yu Feng and Li Yuan on how Yu Wenzhou was on a mission, Song Xiao didn’t hesitate.
He fled.
“Captain!” Xu Jingxi turned, catching Yu Wenzhou’s attention, he might be a healer more than anything else now, but he can still pull aggro. Yu Wenzhou’s gaze flicked over to him and Xu Jingxi shuffled slightly so he was blocking the corridor. “I had a question about Tyranny’s false flag bait that they used against Thunderclap!” Xu Jingxi wasn't in the habit of deluding himself, he was fully aware that Yu Wenzhou knew exactly what he was up to, the arched eyebrow made that clear, but he’d been given a task to do, and he wasn’t planning on failing.
“What kind of question?”
“I was trying to identify the crucial points of the positioning, particularly of Zhang Xinjie as the cleric because that would be the most relevant for me and I was struggling.”
“Is now the best time for that Jingxi? If you don’t have the match, then it would be difficult to recall exactly how the match played out.”
“Not to worry captain! I have the match clip right here, look! I thought that maybe when Han Wenqing shifts Desert Dust outside the perimeter, to prevent being pushed out of his spot if Thunderclap spot the ruse too early?” It’s easy to point to what he’s talking about as he did want to speak to Yu Wenzhou about the match. He half wished that he didn’t have to sacrifice this moment for Song Xiao to escape, but Song Li had declared Yu Wenzhou her favourite player and had inundated him with blackmail.
Yu Wenzhou now had exclusive access to Song Xiao’s baby photos, and Xu Jingxi thought that even though they had all solemnly promised not to give in, if Song Xiao broke to avoid a childhood photo getting out, Huang Shaotian would forgive him.
Probably.
“As glad as I am that you’re being diligent with your practice, I did need to speak to Song Xiao, if you would excuse me?” Yu Wenzhou was smiling his smile with all his teeth, the one he used that said, remain in my way if you dare, and Xu Jingxi might be used to drawing aggro but he’s not a masochist.
He stepped aside, and besides, if Song Xiao was smart, he’d be hiding.
Song Xiao was an idiot and he wasn’t hiding, in fact, he was sat on the common room counter eating an apple. When Yu Wenzhou appeared in the doorway, he nearly fell off the countertop and he tried his best to make it look intentional. From the laughter brewing in Yu Wenzhou’s eyes, he was unsuccessful.
“Captain! What can I do for you?” Yu Wenzhou’s smile, while usually reassuring and comforting, just made Song Xiao feel hunted.
“It’s what I can do for you that I’m interested in talking about.” Song Xiao mentally sent a curse at Huang Shaotian for dragging them all into his secret plotting.
“What are you talking about?”
“Your sister sent me a very interesting photo recently. One of your school photos in fact.” Song Xiao froze, knowing exactly which photo Yu Wenzhou meant.
“Oh?”
“Yes, I never took you for a bow enthusiast.” Song Xiao sighed gustily, dropping his head into his hands. In his defence, his little sister had wanted to help him get ready for picture day and had insisted it should be a surprise.
How was he supposed to know she’d somehow got her hands on a permanent marker? And the bows, the dozens of glittery bows haphazardly affixed in his hair. When he’d reached to remove one, Song Li’s eyes had filled with tears and he had hastily stopped. So that was how he’d been photographed that year.
“A-Li you’re nothing but a filthy traitor.” Song Xiao hoped she could hear him while his mind raced.
“I have a copy of when Huang Shao fell into that fountain last year.”
“No one has a copy of that, Shaotian deleted it off everyone’s phone.”
“I’d sent it to my sister already, I made it my lock screen on my laptop.”
“And if you give me this photo, you want me to keep yours a secret?”
“If I give you the photo, you keep mine a secret, and I keep Huang Shao’s secret too.”
“He’s up to something, he keeps humming his own theme tune.” Song Xiao snorted, he could picture Huang Shaotian running through Blue Rain making spy noises.
“I made a promise to my vice-captain and I have to keep it, even if my sister’s makeover picture gets posted for the GPA to see.” Yu Wenzhou wondered when they had all become so dramatic, he could almost see Song Xiao pledging his oath on one knee to Huang Shaotian.
“Very well, I’ll agree to your terms.” Song Xiao’s fingers flew over his phone and the photo was sent promptly. Yu Wenzhou’s smile was bright, nothing like the terrifying one from earlier. Song Xiao also took the opportunity to escape while he was distracted.
“Captain I heard you’ve been terrorising the team, they all came running to me, vice-captain Huang Shao you’re so brave and fearless, you have to save us!” Huang Shaotian laughed at his own joke, the sound quick and fleeting, but he kept his hand around Yu Wenzhou’s forearm, content to tow him along.
“And did you help them Shaotian?”
“Of course I did, I worked very hard and carefully to make sure everything was ready as soon as possible so Song Xiao could stop running away from you like a terrified squirrel. And I heard that Yu Feng and Zheng Xuan had to bribe you for their safety, Captain what would our loyal Blue Rain fans think if they heard that you are so easily swayed by treats?”
“You didn’t have any complaints from Jingxi?”
“He was mostly complaining that Li Yuan wouldn’t stop following him around because he was trying to avoid you.”
“I left Li Yuan alone.”
“You patted him on the shoulder and smiled that scary smile of yours, he kept saying that he was seeing your shadow everywhere.” Yu Wenzhou couldn’t help but laugh at that, and Huang Shaotian pointed at him accusingly, even as his face split into a grin.
“I knew it, I knew it, you like tormenting all of us, your poor defenceless Blue Rain team! You’re laughing at us when we flee in terror!”
“I’m teaching you all the importance of resilience Shaotian.” Yu Wenzhou kept his face as straight and as serious as he could before he snorted and Huang Shaotian joined in his laughter gleefully.
“Captain, captain when this gets out to the rest of the GPA, nice, well-mannered Yu Wenzhou! Tormenting his team! Your reputation will never recover!”
“My reputation was marked black after I was dubbed a tactician.” Huang Shaotian flapped one hand as if to swat away the words but before he answered, his phone buzzed and he lit up when he saw the screen.
“It’s time! It’s time, come on captain come on!” Huang Shaotian was practically vibrating with excitement as he tugged Yu Wenzhou down the corridor.
“I knew you were stalling.”
“You always know that I’m stalling, I told you two weeks ago you can read my mind, I don’t see why I have to remind you of this.”
Yu Wenzhou hummed indulgently as he let Huang Shaotian tow him through Blue Rain, he suspected that the team had already gathered and he was proven correct when they all jumped up from behind the sofa, cheering.
Happy birthday Captain!
Yu Wenzhou blinked, slightly thrown off, and Song Xiao approached, one eyebrow raised.
“You didn’t forget did you?”
“Of course not, I was simply making sure you all felt appreciated by being surprised.” Yu Feng’s bark of laughter had the rest of the room dissolving into mirth and Yu Wenzhou pretended like it wasn't happening.
“You did forget your birthday!”
“I was too distracted by trying to figure out what you were all up to,” Yu Wenzhou decided that focusing on that might redirect his friends’ attention.
“Oh you can say that all you want but we know the truth,” Yu Feng nudged at Yu Wenzhou, amusement still in his eyes and Yu Wenzhou simply ignored him pointedly, ignoring his friend’s snort.
“Okay okay, everyone quiet down, it’s time to show off the surprise!!” Huang Shaotian was bouncing up and down in front of a sheet, and everyone gathered around obediently, not wanting him to get any more jittery.
The sheet was whipped off with dramatic flair and Yu Wenzhou burst into laughter.
He remembered sketching this design out with Huang Shaotian early in their career, making the English letters too big and oddly spaced. They’d laughed about it, the too-large capital W followed by the lowercase e, just a little too much space between them to make sense. The remaining letters below “are the best team” had made Huang Shaotian punch the air enthusiastically, the sentiment something he wholeheartedly supported.
And of course, the Blue Rain logo to tie it all together.
Somehow, Huang Shaotian had received permission to get the sign made in all its glory, and installed in their common room. Yu Wenzhou grinned at his friends, smile wide and unpolished, but for once he didn’t care, seeing their glee reflected back at him.
“I will forgive you all for lying to my face for three weeks.” The team simply beamed sunnily at him before Huang Shaotian distracted them all by flipping two switches and revealing the best part.
It lit up too.