Work Text:
Shi Qingxuan was having a good day and it was going to get better! He’d gone to pick up his estrogen, donated some clothes and food to the homeless shelter, visited with He Xuan’s fiance about wedding planning, and later he was going on a date! He’d just gotten done with his hair and makeup when there was a knock at the door. “Coming!”
He didn’t know who to expect at the door, He Xuan could have come early or one of his other partners might have dropped by without warning, Yizhen’s done that a lot. It could have been someone from the shelter or a local scout group. He would have preferred those options.
“Didi.”
“Gege.” Shi Qingxuan forces a grin for Shi Wudu, noting the lack of care with the outfit that his brother normally put in. “What brings you here?”
“We need to talk.” He hisses, looking like he wanted to be louder, but keeping it down for both of their images.
“About?” He asks. There could have been a millions things they ‘need’ to talk about.
“Your boyfriend is getting married.”
There it is. He sighs and moves out of the doorway. “Look. I’m getting ready to go out, so you can come in or wait for me to be done.”
Shi Wudu barely hesitated before coming in. “Your place is a mess.”
“I know.” It was going to be one of those visits. His place wasn’t that bad, just a bit messy from deciding what to give away and what to wear. His brother was worried, but he had too much pride to convey it another nicer way.
“How are you okay with him marrying someone else?” Wudu demands, picking up some clothes and folding them.
“Because I know He Xuan loves us both. Plus Miao-er and Xuan-er had been talking about marriage since they were kids, it would be rude to throw a fit over it.” Qingxuan hums, grabbing his outfit before his brother tried to fold it away and walking around the corner to get changed, not wanting to yell through a door.
“But you wanted to be a bride.” His brother mumbles.
He smiles, it was sweet that his brother remembered and cared about that old dream. If polygamous marriage was more respected by the law, maybe he’d be wearing a wedding dress up there with them on that day. But since they couldn’t do it legally, the polycule planned on doing a second one ‘illegally’ for themselves, without the paperwork and fewer guests. “I kinda will be.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means that if you behave and don’t bring your polycule-”
“We’re not a polycule.” Shi Wudu denies.
‘-your main swingers or situationship or whatever you want to call what you have with Pei Ming and Ling Wen and Ling Wen’s boyfriend.” He steps back around the wall to look in the mirror. His makeup didn’t smudge and his hair was only a little out of place.
“What do you have against them?” His brother fumes, stepping up to zip up the back of the dress.
“Pei Ming’s and ass to Yizhen and we haven’t ever gotten along to begin with.” Qingxuan hums, pushing the loose hairs into place. “We don’t really have anything against Ling Wen or her boyfriend, to my knowledge, but we also aren’t close to them enough for them to be invited.” With the zipper no longer a hazard, he slips on a cute little jacket and twirls in place. “What do you think?”
Wudu stares for a while, thinking. “I will try to behave.”
Not the answer Qingxuan was expecting, but it was a much better one! “Gege!” He cheers, giving his brother a hug. “It’s two days before their wedding at Hua Cheng’s house.”
His brother mutters something about Hua Cheng under his breath.
Shi Qingxuan sighs internally and pats his brother’s back. “Can’t be saying that during the wedding, gege.”
His brother pulls away after a bit. “Do you have an outfit for it?”
“Yes! Let me show you.” He grins, leading them into his bedroom’s closet and pulls the white dress off the rack. It was a short dress that poofed out around the legs, with a detachable train covered in fabric flowers. “It’s like a magical girl wedding dress! What do you think?”
Shi Wudu looks it over, turning it around and around, examining the finer details. “Not something I would have let you pick,” he mumbles before setting it back on the rack and continuing at a normal volume, “it’s well made and will look good on you.”
He squeals, hugging his brother again. Wudu still didn’t fully understand his younger brother’s desire to be pretty or what it means to be genderfluid, but he tried to start being supportive now that it didn’t feel like Qingxuan would be hatecrimed on the street for wearing a dress. He didn’t want to lose him, not again.
There was a knock at the door and they pulled apart, Shi Qingxuan jumping in place as he noticed the time. “Time to go!” He shoves his older brother back to the living room. “I’ll text you the details after my date!”
The door opened to reveal He Xuan and Miao in their glory. He Xuan had dressed up more than their usual casual college goth outfits, strapped shirt that accentuated their minimal breasts, tight pants, shiny jewelry, and dark makeup. While Miao-er had dressed down for the occasion, since her job had a strict uniform, she’d come in a loose formless dress covered in a fish bone pattern and dark makeup of her own. He Xuan and Shi Wudu stared at each other on the porch while Qingxuan locked his door.
In another life, they’d be the death of each other, but in this one, they were just petty rivals. Striving to be the best in their shared classes, having clashing ideas on what’s best for Shi Qingxuan, and just generally hating each other’s vibes. Taking a breath, Shi Wudu reminds himself that it was for his brother’s happiness. “I hope you have a good date. I will see you at the smaller wedding.”
He Xuan blinked. Miao giggles softly, “thank you. Wear an outfit you like, but one that you can stand to get dirty.”
As the couple watch him leave, He Xuan pipes up, “he looked like it hurt him to say that.”
“He’s making progress!” Qingxuan cheers, wrapping his arms around their arms. Today was a great day!