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Wei Ying had always had a talent for drawing. He had been doodling constantly for as long as he could remember. He used to get in trouble for secretly drawing his classmates during school instead of focusing on the lecture. He would bring food for ducks at the park, just so he could use them as his models. His sketchbooks were full of faces he met in passing. Art teachers praised his realism and attention to detail.
It was something that just came naturally to him.
And he had another talent along with it, that came just as naturally.
You may not believe it, but he had the ability to draw someone's soulmate. Long before the two may even meet.
He first discovered this ability when he was 10. It wasn't too long after he had been taken in by the Jiangs. Jiang Yanli, his sister-in-every-way-that mattered-but-not-official-sister, one day asked Wei Ying to try drawing the person she will marry one day. She was a young romantic and was curious about her future as she was entering her teen years and starting to become curious about boys. (ew.)
Wei Ying started to draw without really thinking or absorbing what he was doing. It was like he entered a trance. Before he knew it he had finished the drawing and there was a face staring back at him from the paper.
Wei Ying frowned at it. He didn't like it. It was a perfectly punchable pompous peacock of a face. It looked like the face of some spoiled rich kid who thought the sun revolved around him. This did not look like someone deserving of his sweet amazing perfect Shijie! (Auntie Yu had yelled at Wei Ying when he once referred to Yanli as his jiejie, so he's been calling her his Shijie ever since.) His Shijie deserved the most amazing guy in the world and this guy just didn't make the cut in Wei Ying's expert opinion.
He apologized for the bad drawing and tried to take it away, so he could crumple it up and try again, but Yanli wouldn't let him. She gushed over the drawing and how dreamy and handsome the guy looked (ugh) and she held onto the drawing.
Wei Ying would come to vastly regret ever drawing that picture when 2 years later, Auntie Yu had become obsessed with arranged marriages, (apparently her own tumultuous arranged marriage with Jiang Fengmian wasn't enough of a deterrent) And she began trying to set Yanli up with her best friend's son, Jin Zixuan. So he came over for their first visit and…
It was the exact punchable peacock of a face Wei Ying had drawn 2 years ago.
Wei Ying couldn't believe it.
Yanli was, unfortunately, smitten on the spot. She gushed all about him even though the guy seemed totally ambivalent to her. And one day during all the initial talks and meetings, Yanli told Auntie Yu about the soulmate drawing Wei Ying had done, and even pulled it out to show her. Auntie Yu looked at the drawing and gained a devious twinkle in her eye. She praised Wei Ying on his drawing (which was weird, she had never praised Wei Ying before) and told him he had a true talent.
After that there was no stopping her from forcing the arranged marriage, no matter how much Uncle Jiang disagreed or how much they fought over it. Auntie Yu kept bringing up that drawing as proof it was fated, so it would be best for everyone anyway.
Wei Ying still hates that he ever did that drawing. Even if this talent did later lead to a pretty lucrative side hustle. And helped him gain approval and acceptance in the Jiang household. And even if now-a-days Shijie and the peacock are happily married with an adorable baby and the peacock maybe turned out to be not such a bad guy after all. Still. He's allowed to regret it regardless!
But after that, Shijie started having Wei Ying try to draw the soulmates of her school friends (she loved having any reason to show off her little A-Ying, so sure, why not.) And over time those sketches proved to be prophetic, when they all eventually met the people Wei Ying had drawn for them, and most of them ended up married. Then as word got out, Wei Ying’s friends started asking for soulmate drawings as well. Then soon strangers at school started asking for Wei Ying as well.
In Wei Ying’s teen years, once a few of Shijie’s friends had ended up dating the ‘soulmate’ Wei Ying had drawn for them and he had started gaining a reputation, Auntie Yu and Uncle Jiang had taken a positive interest in his talent. They began parading him around at the hoity-toity rich people parties they liked to throw, showing him off like a show pony. He’d be introduced to someone and asked to draw their soulmate, without knowing they already had a spouse. But luckily he usually ended up drawing the spitting image of their significant other. Or else it was someone they dated in their youth (you know how it goes, the one who got away.) It was only ever occasionally awkward when he ended up drawing someone who wasn’t their significant other and they would seem embarrassed and run away (perhaps recognizing someone else they knew in the drawing.) His accuracy was proven again and again.
Auntie Yu may not approve of Wei Ying in much of anything else he did, but this was something she was able to impress her high-end friends with, but was frivolous enough to not feel it was making him stand out above her own children. (Plus she loved bringing up how he drew Jin Zixuan as Yanli’s soulmate before they ever met.) It was the equivalent of a cool magic trick to her, that she could use to impress others with. But the more drawings he did, the more time passed, the more his accuracy was proven to be immaculate.
After high school he started his own online business selling these soulmate sketches. He found he could do it even without seeing or meeting the questioner! And he’s gotten so many good reviews and positive feedback, clients emailing him to tell them when they found the person he drew, how in love they were, even inviting him to some of their weddings! And it felt great to be able to help people this way. He truly felt like Cupid, helping people to find their one true love.
You see, despite his reputation for being a bit of a flirt, (he’s just really friendly, okay?) Wei Ying has always been a bit hopeless romantic. He remembers the way his parents’ were with each other. Completely obsessed with each other, 2 halves of a whole, endless in love. They were true soulmates. And he wants something like that too. He wants to find his own soulmate.
So naturally, with his ability, he has tried to use it on himself. But every time the same thing happens. He always ends up drawing…. A bunny.
The same bunny. Every. Single. Time.
It’s always a little white rabbit!, sitting fat and squat with darker tips on his ears and tail. Always in the same position, facing the same way. Each new drawing looking like a photocopy of the last one. It’s beady little eyes mocking Wei Ying. the same little white rabbit again and again.
He doesn’t understand what it’s supposed to mean. Sure, he knows psychics aren’t supposed to be able to tell their own future and all that, but this isn’t exactly the same thing is it?
Is the universe just trolling him for even trying? Or does this mean he will never have a real soulmate? That maybe the closest relationship he will ever have in this lifetime will be… a pet rabbit??
Or maybe (he hopes, desperately) maybe, it’s a clue? Perhaps the universe can’t tell him the answer outright, so all he gets is a clue? He clings to the hope that this is the case.
But if so, what kind of clue could the rabbit be? Does his soulmate work at a rabbit rescue? Maybe their name means rabbit in another language. There has to be some kind of logic for it!
Every year he tries again. Hoping maybe he’ll get more answers, but it’s always the same. His mind goes as blank as it always does and when he comes to, there is that same white rabbit staring at him again! He has a whole collection of this rabbit. The same drawing over and over through the years. It’s driving him mad!
And see, the problem is, he actually knows who he wants to be his soulmate. Who he already considers his zhiji, the person who knows him as well as he knows himself. His best friend Lan Zhan, who he has been head over heels for from about the moment they met.
The problem?
Lan Zhan doesn’t appear to have any interest in Wei Ying. He doesn’t seem to have any interest in anyone. Lan Zhan is the most aroace person Wei Ying has ever met. He’s never shown an interest in things like kissing or romance, in girls or boys. He looks away from the screen during kissing scenes in movies. He blanches at seeing any kind of PDA. He can’t stand even being touched.
And if Lan Zhan did have an interest in someone, Wei Ying highly doubts it would ever be him. He had managed to weasel his way into being Lan Zhan’s friend by sheer persistence alone. When they first met a several years ago, Lan Zhan wanted nothing to do with him. They shared a biology class together and Wei Ying would sit beside him every day, unable to stop himself from chatting at him and constantly trying to get his attention as Lan Zhan did his best to ignore him, focus on the professor, and flee the classroom as quickly as he could the second they were dismissed. But over time Wei Ying somehow managed to wear him down into a friendship. Now-a-days, Lan Zhan no longer runs from him or calls him "frivolous" the way he used to, they text every day and have lunch together 2 days a week and hang out somewhat regularly. He’s come a long way with Lan Zhan, he’s managed to even move up to best friend status! But, well, Lan Zhan doesn’t really have much of any other friends to begin with. And he’s sure he must still be a long way off from entering “soulmate” territory or romantic territory or else Wei Ying would have drawn his face by now, right?
Of course he’s also offered to do a soulmate drawing for Lan Zhan. He’s done one for almost all of his other friends at this point anyway. Including his own brother! But Lan Zhan always insists that there’s “No need.” (Which, Wei Ying thinks might be because of the extra awkward reading his bother had. Where his boyfriend, Nie Mingjue, went first, and received a drawing of Lan Xichen. But when Lan Xichen later got a drawing done…he ended up with a picture of some suspicious looking dimpled twink he had not yet met. It all ended up working out though, as the three are in a happy polycule together now, but it was very awkward at the time. It must have been enough to keep Lan Zhan from ever wanting to try a drawing for himself.)
So Wei Ying, as delusional as he may be, has tried so hard to find some kind of connection of rabbits with Lan Zhan but he just can’t find one!
One day when they are both studying in the library he tried asking nonchalantly: “Hey Lan Zhan, when were you born?”
“January 23rd 2001. Why do you ask?”
“Oh no reason.” He replies distractedly as he flips through charts in front of him mumbling to himself. “2001….2001…Janurary…twentythiiiird…ah! Here we go! Lan Zhan, you were born in the year of the dragon! Which is… uh, not the year of the rabbit.” He admits sullenly.
“Mn. It is not.”
He started asking all kinds of rabbit related questions.
“Hey Lan Zhan, do you have any pets?”
“I do not.”
“Hmm, did you have any pets growing up?”
“My uncle did not allow us to keep pets. So I have never had any pets.”
“Oh, so you wouldn’t have had any bunnies then I guess.” Wei Ying mumbles to himself.
Lan Zhan glances at him for a moment. “...I would not.” Lan Zhan eventually replies.
Soon he’s grasping at straws.
“Hey Lan Zhan, do you like bunnies?” he asks in a faux innocent voice one day.
Lan Zhan stiffens visibly at the question. He moves his eyes very slowly from his book to Wei Ying.
“Why do you ask?” He asks cautiously.
“Oh! No reason!” He flounders, feeling somehow caught. “They are just so cute and fluffy, how could you not like them?!” He shows Lan Zhan a picture of 2 incredibly fluffy bunnies on his phone in an attempt to seem casual.
Lan Zhan leans over to peer at his phone. “Mn. They are indeed cute and fluffy.” He admits.
Wei Ying can’t help but wonder if someone told Lan Zhan about the bunny soulmate drawings. He tries to lay off the rabbit questions but it isn’t long before he finds himself subconsciously giving Lan Zhan bunny related items instead.
A bunny themed pen here. A snack cake shaped like a bunny head there. A to-go tea from the White Rabbit Cafe. A blue bunny keychain. A bunny themed planner. The list goes on.
It’s so obvious what he’s doing but he can’t help himself! He’s started associating bunnies with Lan Zhan due to his desire for him to be his soulmate, and he can’t untangle the two now! But Lan Zhan doesn’t seem to mind. He still drinks the tea, with white rabbits plastered all over the cup. He uses the pen and the planner, even if they look like they belong to a 14 year old girl. He humors Wei Ying at least. It makes him feel the slightest bit of hope when he sees Lan Zhan using the bunny items he got him, even when it makes Lan Zhan look ridiculous. Maybe it would be ok to hope a little? Hopefully he’s not being too weird for this anyway.
Wei Ying doesn’t want to burden Lan Zhan with his feelings if he doesn’t feel the same way. It took so long to get Lan Zhan to warm up to him and even give him the time of day. Now they are so close. He’s worried he could mess up the friendship they currently have built, and he couldn’t stand things backtracking now.
Nie Huaisang thinks he’s being silly and twisting himself up in knots for no good reason. Nie Huaisang figured out about his crush because he’s far more perceptive than he lets on, so of course he did. And he currently finds himself getting another pep talk.
“Just tell him how you feel Wei-Xiong. What’s the worst that could happen?” Nie Husiang insists.
“What if I make him uncomfortable though? What if he goes back to how he used to, where he couldn’t stand me touching him and he was always calling me shameless! What if he thinks I’m a total weirdo because I think he might just be my soulmate, and he decides to stop talking to me completely? I can’t risk it!”
“Hmmm Wei-Xiong, have you noticed your tendency to catastrophize things when they mean a lot to you?” Nie Huaisang replies slyly over his painted fan. “Do you really think Lan Zhan is the kind of person who would cut someone off or start acting weird just because a friend told him they think he’s cute?”
“Well, no, I guess not, when you put it like that…” Wei Ying reluctantly admits.
“So what’s the worst that would happen? He gently tells you he isn’t interested? Or that he is in fact aroace? And your friendship continues in the same way it has been? And so then, what's the best that could happen? Did it occur to you that it is possible he might actually like you back? That maybe you both feel the same way?”
Wei Ying’s face flushed pink. “I just find that outcome hard to believe.” He retorts.
Nie Huisang sighed dramatically. “Alright, here’s what you are going to do. I’m having a party this weekend, as you know. You are going. Lan Zhan is going. Because you somehow talked him into it even though he hates parties, because you fail to see how much sway you have over him. Anyway. Everyone is going to be having a good time because it’s my party, and I know how to have fun. There will be alcohol. You can use it for liquid courage if you need to. But you are going to use this opportunity to tell Lan Zhan how you feel. Because you need to stop twisting yourself up into knots over this and I am sick of watching all of this useless pining all the time and you’ll never know if you don’t try!”
Wei Ying rubbed his hands over his face and groaned. “Ughhh, alright fine, fine! I’ll do it! I’ll tell him, ok?”
“Good boy.” Nie Huaisang chirped and snapped his fan closed. “Excuse me a moment.” He stated as he picked up his phone and starting texting furiously to someone.
Why did Wei Ying have a bad feeling he was taking some kind of bet on this?
The day of the party came in the blink of an eye. Wei Ying was buzzing with nervous energy as he tried to think of how on earth he was going tell Lan Zhan how he felt. Most of the party was currently sitting in a circle playing a card game and chatting away. Wei Ying was sitting on the couch sandwiched next to Lan Zhan and the armrest. He clutched a red solo cup full of some fruity boozy mystery concoction that he was drinking way too fast while his leg jangled at a frantic pace.
Lan Zhan’s cup, of course, only had water in it, since he never drinks. He’s never explained why he refrains from alcohol, only that he has tried drinking exactly once and he decided that was a bad enough experience to never try it again. Wei Ying would love to know what exactly happened, but he won’t pry. Luckily Lan Zhan doesn’t seem judgmental of others drinking, which is good, as Wei Ying is practically chugging his mystery alcohol as he fidgets next to Lan Zhan.
Wei Ying must not be doing a very good job of covering up his nerves because Lan Zhan keeps looking over at him with furrowed brows and concern etched on his face.
Lan Zhan suddenly places a hand on the jangling leg to still it. It must be annoying him. “Are you alright?” He finally asked, leaning over and speaking softly, directly into Wei Wuxian’s ear so as to not be overheard.
The hairs on Wei Yin’s neck stood up and a pink flush crossed his face. “Yep! I’m fine! I’m great! Why wouldn’t I be?” He squeaked.
Lan Zhan gave him a disbelieving look, but hummed a response and let his focus shift back to the card game. Most of the night passed like this. Wei Ying was constantly looking for a way to get Lan Zhan alone, to find a moment to tell him how he felt, to try to find the words to say. But there were no good opportunities, even with Nie Huaisang’s obvious attempts to meddle. Lan Zhan seemed glued to the couch all night. So Wei Ying kept drinking more and more due to his nerves. Eventually he tried to get up and immediately stumbled, he would have fallen over if Lan Zhan hadn’t been there to grab him and hold him still.
The room was spinning. “I’m okay, I’m okay. I just need a moment.” He said, trying to brace himself against the couch. He had a high alcohol tolerance so he rarely got that drunk, but he had lost track of how many he had had and he wasn’t pacing himself at all. It was embarrassing as he struggled to find his balance again.
Lan Zhan seemed so worried about him too. He agreed to take Wei Ying home. He didn’t want to leave him alone or risk Wei Ying driving himself home (he wouldn’t anyway. He would have no qualms about crashing on Nie Huaisang’s couch regardless of a party still going really) And so soon he finds himself in Lan Zhan’s passenger seat, forehead pressed against the cold glass window, trying to suppress the nausea and embarrassment, feeling like a loser because he once again chickened out. He wonders if Nie Huaisang is going to insist he owes him money later. And now Lan Zhan has to take care of him like he’s a child because he’s turned into a bit of a mess. He thunks his head against the glass in despair. But then he notices movement from the corner of his eye. It’s a blue plush bunny keychain hanging from Lan Zhan’s rearview mirror. It’s one Wei Ying bought him a few months ago. A small flutter of hope tingles in his chest again.
Lan Zhan parks. Wei Ying looks at his surroundings confused. This isn’t Wei Ying’s home. Lan Zhan brought him to his place instead. He says it’s so he can keep an eye on him, and bring him back to his car in the morning. Lan Zhan really is the best. Lan Zhan helps him out of the car, assists him into the building, then into the elevator and into his apartment, Wei Ying clinging shamelessly to his side to keep from stumbling all the while. He’s maybe taking liberties but he is finding it hard to care at the moment. Lan Zhan’s apartment smells like sandalwood, smells like him. it’s warm and inviting. Wei Ying can’t help how his mind says it smells like home.
Lan Zhan sets him on the couch and brings him a glass of water. He tells him to drink. He disappears for a moment, then returns with a blanket and pillow. He helps tuck Wei Ying in. He sits on the couch beside him while he sets down a bucket just in case Wei Ying gets sick. He’s so good. He’s too good. He’s the best. Wei Ying likes him so much. If he does have a soulmate, he can’t imagine it could be anyone other than Lan Zhan.
When Lan Zhan stands up to leave, Wei Ying’s hand shoots out without a conscious thought to grab his sleeve and stop him. Some part of his brain tells him he should tell him exactly what he thinks. Apparently at this stage of inebriation, he is helpless to not comply. “Lan Zhan” He mumbles, still drunk. “I like you so much. You're so good. You're the best. There’s no one better than you and I think you might just be my soulmate.”
There is a sharp inhale. “Wei Ying.” he sounds shocked. Wei Ying is too drunk to worry about it.
“Anyway, I just thought you should know.” He mumbles before he feels himself drifting into sleep. Everything goes dark. The hand clutching at Lan Zhan goes limp. He thinks he dreams of someone petting his hair and kissing his temple. But he doesn’t remember any dreams after that.
The next morning he wakes up feeling ungodly hungover. His head is splitting in two. He groans and opens his eyes. Then he notices the unfamiliar ceiling and realizes this isn’t his house. Right, he went home with Lan Zhan. The events of the previous night flash across his mind. Getting too drunk, Lan Zhan having to take him home, tucking him in, and Wei Ying confessing his love before passing out. He pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes. Well, it’s out there now. He only hopes he didn’t make Lan Zhan feel awkward, that he didn’t make things weird between them now.
It’s then that he hears soft footsteps from somewhere nearby, the sounds of a kettle being put on. Then tea being poured. “Wei Ying?” Lan Zhan asks softly as he approaches the couch, checking to see if Wei Ying was, in fact, still alive.
Guess it’s time to face the music. He rubs his hands over his face. “Yep, that’s me.” He replies, his voice sounding rough. “The embarrassing hungover guy who has taken over your couch.”
“How are you feeling?” Lan Zhan sets a cup of tea nearby on the coffee table for Wei Ying.
“Horrible.” Wei Ying replies dead pan, a hand covering his face.
“Mn. I will get you some Advil.” When Lan Zhan moves to retreat from Wei Ying’s side, Wei Ying reaches out and grabs the fabric of his sweatpants to keep him from getting too far.
“Listen, Lan Zhan, I owe you a huge apology. I got super drunk last night and acted like an idiot and you were so nice and took care of me and you let me stay at your place but I said some things that may have made you uncomfortable and I’m sorry, that wasn’t my intention, and I shouldn’t have said that and you can just forget all about it so that things don’t get weird between us, okay? I was just drunk and rambling.” He tries to feign a smile. He doesn’t think it’s working. Lan Zhan has gone very still.
“You did not mean what you said?” He asks stiffly.
Wei Ying kicks himself mentally. “No…I did...” He mumbles. He stares at the floor. He can’t make eye contact right now. “But we can just forget about it, okay? I know you’re not interested and that’s fine! I’m not offended and it was never my intention to dump my feelings on you! I promise I am not a creep or anything I just really hope you can still consider me your friend and if you–” He is cut off by Lan Zhan’s hand grabbing his wrist that is tangled in his sweat pants.
“Wei Ying, it’s okay. I–” He hesitates for just a moment. “I feel the same way too. Wei Ying, I like you too.”
“Wait, you do?!” Wei Ying squeaks.
“Mn.” Lan Zhan replies. His eyes are cast downward, eyelashes fluttering. His ears bright red. He looks shy. Maybe a little embarrassed. “I have for a long time.” He admits softly.
“Wait, really??” Wei Ying squawks. “I thought you were totally ace! You've never shown any interest in anyone! And you hated me specifically for so long! It took me so long to get you to even admit we were friends! Do you really mean it? You aren’t just saying that to humor me? Because maybe you feel bad for me for being embarra–” He doesn’t get to finish what he was going to say because there are suddenly warm lips pressing against his own.
The kiss is chaste, warm. Their lips catch on each other. Then they catch again. Soon the kiss deepens.There is teeth, there is tongue. Lan Zhan licks deeply into his mouth, exploring every inch of it. The kiss is passionate, but brief. Lan Zhan nips Wei ying’s lip as he pulls away.
“Oh, wow.” Wei Ying says in a daze, blinking hard. “Ok, great. I guess we’re on the same page then. Super great!” He says as his face splits into a blinding bright smile.
“Mn.” Lan Zhan hums as he gently tucks a strand of hair behind Wei Ying’s hair. “I will go get you some Advil.I will be right back. Then we can talk.”
“Yeah. Great. Fantastic!” Wei Wing chirps happily in response.
However, his brain still isn’t back to working on all cylinders yet, so as Lan Zhan turns away, he fails to release the hand he still has still seizing Lan Zhan’s sweat pants. So as he takes a step away, Wei Ying inadvertently pulls Lan Zhan’s pants down several inches, revealing his sculpturesque hip bones and a blob of something black and white scribbled in Lan Zhan’s hip dip.
It takes him a moment to process what he’s seeing.
It’s—a tattoo?? Lan Zhan has a tattoo?? But as his eyes focus he realizes it’s not just an ordinary tattoo.
It’s a tattoo of a bunny. A white bunny. Fat and squat. With darkened ear and tail tips. It’s a bunny he would know anywhere. Because it’s the same one he’s drawn over and over and over.
And it’s apparently been drawn on Lan Zhan too.
“Lan Zhan!! You have a tattoo?!” Wei Ying squeals.
Lan Zhan’s brow furrows. “You… did not know?”
“How would I know something like this?! Exactly how often do you go around showing off your hips?!” Wei ying all but screeches.
Lan Zhan seems confused. “Was that not the reason you kept asking me questions about rabbits? And buying me bunny related gifts? I… assumed you were teasing me.” His ears tint pink and his head is turned down in embarrassment.
“Oh, Lan Zhan, no, of course not! I had no idea! Who would ever guess you would have a tattoo?! Before me even? When… Why… How did you end up with a tattoo anyway??” Wei Ying flounders.
“I was… inebriated. It was shortly after my 21st birthday. I was at an event with my brother and some of the people there talked me into trying alcohol. I had never tried it before. But it was legal for me to do so now. Even brother likes to drink sometimes. So I took the shot they gave me. It turns out I have a …sensitivity to alcohol. I do not remember anything after that. Apparently my brother lost me for some time. When he finally found me I was at a tattoo parlor across the street. They had just finished with the tattoo when he arrived.”
Wei Ying couldn’t help but laugh. “Well I can see why you don’t like to drink!” He was laughing so hard he started to half fall off of the couch. Lan Zhan helped pull him back into position on it. Wei Ying shuffled and tugged at Lan Zhan until he got the hint and sat beside him on the couch. Wei Ying pressed himself against his side and Lan zhan even put an arm around him in response. They were properly cuddling now! He was giddy knowing he could get away with this now! Wei Ying is going to be so shameless from now on!
There still seemed to be a question on Lan Zhan’s mind however, and after a few moments he finally asked “So, If you did not know about my tattoo, then, why did you keep asking me about rabbits? And buying me rabbit things?”
“Ah, it’s so dumb Lan Zhan.” Wei Ying laughs. “Really, it’s too embarrassing. But I will tell you anyway if you promise not to laugh at me, gege.”
Lan Zhan’s ears turned pink at the address, and his eyes grew dark. “Mn. I will not laugh.” He said as he leaned over for another kiss.
And how could Wei Ying deny it anymore? It was obviously true. Lan Zhan truly was his soulmate!! (and not a bunny!)