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Lan Zhan is pretty sure he’s in love.
The thing is; he’s never felt like this before. Though he disagrees with people who say that he doesn’t feel anything, he’s not one to carry his heart on his sleeve or to catch feelings quickly. He thinks before he speaks. He evaluates before he feels. Usually.
He didn’t like the idea of someone coming to read Christmas stories at the children's section of the library. He enjoys ordering new books and talking to people who are looking for something specific. He enjoys children too, contrary to what most people think, especially when they are caught up in a book. He just doesn’t like… loud noises.
And this guy is just that.
Lan Zhan had seen him come in not-quite-late and had seen how his colleagues had all but dragged him to the comfortable chair he was going to sit on; a big stack of Christmas tales next to him. The guy had put on a stupid looking Christmas hat and — when the first children had sat down — he’s started reading the first story excitedly.
And, Lan Zhan— Lan Zhan does not like loudness. He evaluates before he feels his emotions. He has nothing to do with this event.
Yet his heart skips a beat at the sight. That feeling frightens and excites him — much like all new things do — and he decides not to act on it.
❅
Or so he thought. Wen Qing, who’d invited this man and who’s responsible for community questions (which is, sadly, often old people getting scammed online), rushes by him and calls out: “Lan Wangji, can you get Wei Ying some coffee?”
Wei Ying himself has a group of fifteen children gathered around him, and some grown ups have stopped in the hallway just to watch and listen for a bit.
Lan Zhan thinks he understands.
He could pretend that he’s been working hard, but he’s been staying within reach of the children's section; hearing about old monster-like-man that want to ruin the Christmas spirit and about small fairies who need to hurry up finding magic so that it will snow on Christmas eve.
He moves to the staff's kitchen and puts a mug underneath the machine. He decides to kick the button twice, since a double coffee will fit into the bug anyway. While he watches the coffee drip from the machine, he tries to calm his beating heart.
It will be fine. The man, Wei Ying, won’t even have time to tell him anything; busy with the stories.
He takes two sugars and some milk just in case. Breathes in. Out. Walks out of the kitchen and towards the Children’s section.
Wei Ying’s dark hair is messy underneath the Christmas hat. Lan Zhan now sees that he has red ribbons in his hair as well. They match the wide red sweater he’s wearing.
Lan Zhan puts the coffee on the small table next to Wei Ying’s chair.
“The fairies find the message hidden away in a big tree in the middle of the forest—” Just for a second, Wei Ying looks up at him. In that second he gives him the softest smile Lan Zhan has ever seen. His heart skyrockets. It hammers against his chest as if it’s about to jump from his body — go on rampage all through the library and attach itself to Wei Ying. He holds his breath, does not quite smile back at him. “The oldest, and the best reading of the bunch, reads out loud: if you want the snow to come back for Christmas, you must visit the witch at the—”
Lan Zhan promptly turns around and walks back to his own position.
❅
It gets a bit worse. Or better. He’s still trying to figure that out.
Wei Ying gets on break and the library has lunch for all of the staff because it’s Christmas day. Wei Ying decides on the same lunch break as him and chats his ear off. Apparently, Wei Ying illustrates children's books, but studied to be a scientist. He’s still loud, but Lan Zhan finds out soon enough that he’s more than just beautiful, which is not helping his case at all. Wei Ying is smart and kind. At some point, Wen Qing comes in to say hi and raises her eyebrow at him, which definitely means that she knows. Which means that he’s being obvious. He doesn’t know how to stop being obvious; he’s never had a crush before.
On top of that, during that lunch break, Wei Ying has taken off his Christmas hat and Lan Zhan can now see the braided parts of his dark hair and the red ribbons properly and he looks really nice. Lan Zhan has never celebrated Christmas, but he thinks he might see the charm of dressing up and enjoying the holiday spirit if it’s with someone like Wei Ying.
“So—” Wei Ying says, taking the last sip of his juice and then grinning at Lan Zhan. “I’ll go back. Got some big stuff coming.”
Lan Zhan looks at him questioningly, making Wei Ying laugh.
His laugh is really nice.
“You know— a girl who puts ornaments and Christmas lights all over the forest, so that the animals can celebrate as well. The good stuff.”
Lan Zhan nods, hums a little.
“Do you celebrate, Lan Zhan?”
He shakes his head.
“I never used to,” Wei Ying says, gathering his Christmas hat and putting it on his head again. “But it’s different when you have a little one, you know. So we do it all. Chinese holidays, western ones— everything we can celebrate.”
Lan Zhan nods again, though he feels like his world is tumbling. Of course someone like Wei Ying is a father. Of course, he has a family. And then, probably a partner too.
“See you in the story corner?”
He hums.
“If you have some time, I’d love another coffee,” Wei Ying says, his voice a little teasing, almost flirty. Lan Zhan wonders if that’s even possible. He nods anyway.
❅
He doesn’t really know what comes over him, but he goes to Wen Qing. Maybe it’s that he has no one else to go to, or maybe it’s the fact that she’d already noticed Lan Zhan’s love struck face.
“Wen Qing,” he says.
She looks at him and raises an eyebrow again. “Why do you look like you ran here?”
He has not. Running in the library is not permitted and unnecessary. He is, though, feeling like he’s about to catch fire. “Is—” Maybe this was a stupid idea. “Is Wei Ying married?”
Now, she looks really amused. Like she’s judging him, sure, but amused. “That guy?”
Lan Zhan nods, aware that she’s teasing him.
“Hah, absolutely not. He wishes.”
“He said— he has a kid?”
“Oh! Yeah, A-Yuan! Wen Ning is watching him but he’ll be coming over to listen to the stories later on.” Wen Qing often softens up, talking about her brother. He sees it again now. “Wei Ying adopted him when no one else could.” She looks at Wei Ying’s reading corner, at the children excitedly leaning in as they listen to him. “I bully him, but he’s a good guy.”
Lan Zhan breathes in, nods.
“Lan Zhan—” Wen Qing says. “Take your shot. He deserves someone nice.”
He swallows. He doesn’t exactly know how to take his shot. All the people he’s dated were set up through dating apps or his brother. All of them unsuccessful in making him feel… well…
The way he feels right now.
“And, don’t let this get to your head, but I’m pretty sure you’re his type.”
“Mhm. Thank you, Wen Qing.”
“Lan Zhan.”
“Hm?”
“He might have to take the bus to the restaurant where we’re having dinner later. Might be nice for him if someone could bring him.”
“Can’t you—”
“Hm? Oh no. Wen Ning and I have to pick something up first—” she says, obviously lying. “Besides, your car is much nicer.”
❅
Wen Ning drops A-Yuan off at the story corner and the library slowly becomes more and more empty. Wen Qing disappears when their shifts end, taking her brother, and Lan Zhan stays around. He takes his library card from his neck and makes one more coffee. When he puts it next to Wei Ying, he gives him another one of his soft smiles and Lan Zhan’s heart swells and warms hopefully.
Instead of turning, he sits on one of the mushroom shaped stools. By now, there’s only one kid with their parents and A-Yuan who are listening to the story. And him. There’s a tall tree in the forest being decorated in the snow. All animals stand on each other’s neck to be able to reach the top, but even then, they can’t quite reach it. After a while, a kind crow comes up to them to ask what the ruckus is all about. Christmas, they say. He doesn’t quite get it, but he does love some shiny things, and so he decides to help them by flying to the top and adding the last Christmas lights.
They all celebrate together. End of the story.
Wei Ying closes the book and thanks the last few people for listening. The kids and their parents clap their hands. Lan Zhan doesn’t. He stares at Wei Ying.
“Did you like the story, Lan Zhan?”
Lan Zhan didn’t often get to listen to magical stories like this, as a child. His uncle had not considered them educational enough. “Mhm. Very much.”
Wei Ying laughs. “Ah, such an honest answer! Thank you, Lan Zhan.” He gets up from his chair and rubs A-Yuan’s hair. “This is my son, A-Yuan. Say hi.”
The kid holds his father’s hand tightly and mumbles: “Hello.”
“Hello,” Lan Zhan answers, and decides that they are both lovely.
Wei Ying ruffles A-Yuan’s hair and smiles. “Okay! Let’s go get my coat and leave for dinner, hm?” Then, he turns to Lan Zhan. “Thank you for sitting with me for a bit, Lan Zhan. If you ever want to get in contact or, uh, if you need someone to read again or something— I can give you my number or, eh, you can ask Wen Qing—”
“Wen Qing asked me to drop you off.” He says, instead of agreeing to get Wei Ying’s phone number like he actually wants to. “At the restaurant,” he adds, stupidly.
“Oh,” Wei Ying mumbles. “We can take the bus, it’s—”
“It’s not a problem.” He says, then, for whatever reason, adds: “I have heated seats.”
Wei Ying burst out laughing. He knows he should feel offended, but he doesn’t. He just feels his chest become warmer with every second Wei Ying spends laughing. “Well, you make a good argument! Let’s do it.”
❅
Lan Zhan is sure he’s in love.
Wei Ying is chatting next to him, A-Yuan adding to his stories excitedly in the backseat. He asks Lan Zhan about his youth, about how he used to celebrate Christmas. When Lan Zhan answers honestly, Wei Ying calls out: “No! You must have been such a cute child too. Lan Zhan, you should get extra stories this year!”
“I did,” Lan Zhan answers, and feels excited as he says it.
He’s in love and he’s listened to magical Christmas stories. He’s never felt like this before. He’s trying really hard to concentrate on driving safely, instead of focussing on the feeling of flying.
At some point, Wei Ying suddenly lets out a soft: “Oh.”
Lan Zhan looks at him a second, before turning back to the road. “Hm?”
Wei Ying starts typing a long message on his phone, but doesn’t send it. “Ah,” he starts. His ears are red. “Wen Qing texted me that she reserved for one more person at the restaurant. Uh—”
Oh. Oh no.
“She— oh my god.” Wei Ying puts his hands to his face and rubs his cheeks. “She usually minds her business. Lan Zhan— I’m sorry. She reserved for you. This is so embarrassing.”
“It—uh.” Lan Zhan takes a turn. “Might be my fault. I asked.”
Wei Ying turns to him quickly. “To come with?”
He shakes his head. “If you are single.”
“Oh.” Wei Ying mumbles again. Then sits up straighter in his chair. “Really? You did?”
“Mhm.”
“Oh! Oh, do you— do you want to come with?”
“I don’t want to impo—”
“You wouldn’t! We’re all friends and family. Right A-Yuan?” He turns towards his son. “Can Lan Zhan come?”
“Yes!” A-Yuan sings. “Christmas is for being together.”
And Lan Zhan— Lan Zhan tries not to take the words of a kid too seriously. But today, he’s listened to magical Christmas stories for the first time in his life and A-Yuan is right. He thanks A-Yuan, then softly asks Wei Ying: “If you’re comfortable—”
“Lan Zhan,” Wei Yign says, a soft smile on his face. “You know I believe in the magic of Christmas day, hm? Maybe this is ours. I would like it a lot…”
As he says the words, they arrive at the restaurant. Lan Zhan turns his steering wheel and parks his car in an empty parking spot. The restaurant is a Chinese restaurant with multiple coloured Christmas lights hung in front of the door. He would usually find it obnoxious. Suddenly, he thinks it’s lovely. Everything is.
“Alright,” he says. “Thank you for the invitation.”
Wei Ying reaches out and softly touches the hand that he has laying on his shift lever. He caressed it softly, for one second, and then grins brightly as he opens the door to get out. “Great!” He sings.
Lan Zhan takes a second to follow suit; afraid his heart has tumbled out of his chest. When he does, walking towards the restaurant next to Wei Ying, A-Yuan between them, he feels like he’s started a whole new story.