Work Text:
Wei Wuxian didn't realise Huaisang was calling his name until he practically shouted it across the room. Not his best move, considering he had specifically asked Huaisang to sit in his room and help him pick out his outfit for the afternoon, and thus needed to not zone out so that he could hear him, but whatever. He thought that maybe he was valid for being a little bit distracted.
"Hm?" He asked, turning around half dressed to look at his friend.
He rolled his eyes, staring upside down at him from his bed, "I said those pants make your ass look flat. Pick other ones."
"It's just Lan Zhan," Wei Wuxian replied defensively, "I don't think he cares."
A knowing look spread across Huaisang's face, "Hm, but it's not 'just Lan Zhan', is it?" He asked, rolling over and resting his chin in his hands with a wicked grin, "Or you would have just thrown on that hoodie with the donkey on it that he's complimented you on before and called it good. Have a bit more faith in me, Wei-xiong. I know you want to impress him."
Wei Wuxian wrinkled his nose at him. Was he really such an open book? Sure, he liked Lan Zhan, and sure he had been harbouring those feelings for God knew how long and had nearly combusted when his long time classmate and friend had asked him on a date, but come on. Surely he wasn't that obtuse.
He let out a sigh, turning back around to regard himself in the mirror. He considered what Huaisang had said, but he did like these pants. He had thrifted them for five dollars one day a few years ago, and spent a week adding patches and red embroidery that Yanli had had to coach him on, and now he was quite proud of them, thanks very much. He sort of did want to wear them, however….he supposed that maybe, possibly, just a bit, Huaisang was right. Lan Zhan had gone through all the trouble of asking him out and panning the whole thing, he figured he might as well dress nice. They were going to a concert in the park after all.
"What do you think I should wear, then?" Wei Wuxian asked a bit tersely, still miffed about the comment on his pants. And his ass.
To his credit, Huaisang did pause for a long few moments and think it over, tapping his fan against his chin in thought. Wei Wuxian could practically see him mentally sifting through his wardrobe and putting pieces together as he regarded him with a harsh stare.
Just when he was beginning to toe on the edge of uncomfortable, Huaisang bolted to sit upright and clapped his hands together.
"Here's my vision," he said earnestly. He held out his hands, palms forward, as if making a frame around Wei Wuxian with them, "Black cargo pants -the ones with the red dangly shit all over it, not the shitty, baggy ones you won't get rid of for some reason- and your red shirt that you cropped to your belt line," he jabbed a finger at him with one hand, "red and black flannel around the waist -don't wear it for the love of God- and…"
He sort of paused, thinking even further for a moment before he shrugged, "Your black jean jacket just in case you get chilly, I think. Or the leather one."
Wei Wuxian put the outfit together in his head as he nodded slowly. It looked good in his mind's eye, but he had learned from experience that hardly meant anything. Still -he looked at his clock- Lan Zhan would be there to pick him up in half an hour so it wasn't as if he had much time to come up with a backup plan.
He called to Huaisang over his shoulder as he moved to rifle through his closet, "I'm trusting you."
"When have I ever let you down?" Huaisang replied, and Wei Wuxian could practically hear the smile in his voice.
Deliver, he did. When the outfit was all pulled out and assembled, and Wei Wuxian had a moment to look at himself in the tall mirror he kept in his bedroom for emergencies such as this, he had to admit, he looked good.
"Huaisang, I need you to just start designing all my outfits. Like, every day," he said, turning this way and that to catch every potential angle of himself in the mirror.
"I know," was Huaisang's immediate, self-assured reply. Wei Wuxian watched him through the mirror as he sat up and eyed his outfit up and down with a discerning eye. Searching for anything that could possibly be made better about what he was wearing.
"You look great, Wei-xiong," he at last decided, looking quite pleased with himself, "Very sexy. Wangji is gonna drop dead when he sees you."
"I hope not, he's buying me dinner."
"And," Huaisang added, scooting forward to sit on the edge of the bed, "these pants make you ass look better."
Wei Wuxian laughed. How could he not? "Good to know that if nothing else goes right tonight, at least my ass looks nice, thanks Huaisang."
"Of course!" replied Huaisang. He hopped up and took his hand and began tugging him out of the room to the bathroom, "Now come on, I got Meng Yao to buy me a new pallette we can try for your eyes! Can't have you looking half-assed on a first date!"
Certainly they could not, so, despite makeup not typically being his thing, Wei Wuxian allowed himself to be yanked across the hall and sat on the vanity as Huaisang began to rifle through he boxes below the sink looking for…whatever it was he was looking for. He seemed thoroughly delighted by the whole affair, and Wei Wuxian was content to sit on the edge of the counter and wait for him to get everything together he needed.
He knocked his legs back and forth with gentle thump, thump, thumps on the wood of the cabinets, leaning with his chin in his palm as he stared at the wall ahead of him. This was, of course, a dangerous dance because it could very easily slip beyond the realm of waiting for his friend to gather supplies and into a long thought spiral of 'what if he changed his mind?' ' What if he realised he actually hates you?' 'Sure, you did a whole group project for orchestra this semester, and now you're friends but what if you go on this date and he sees how odd you are when it's just the two of you and leaves?'
Attachment issues as a result of a rocky upbringing…or something. His shijie loved to share things like that with him, possibly in the hopes he would get better help than just the alcohol, but Wei Wuxian had better things to remember than advice on his mental well being. He was well attached enough, thank you.
"Wei-xiong? Earth to Wei Wuxian?"
"Huh?" Wei Wuxian mumbled dumbly, snapping back to reality to meet Huaisang's scrutinising gaze.
He tilted his head, "You were doing that thing again."
"Tch, what thing?" Wei Wuxian asked, swatting at air with his hand, "I don't have a thing."
"Uh, you so do," Huaisang replied easily. He reached for Wei Wuxian's chin to place on hand there as he began to work whatever magic (or wreak whatever havoc) he planned on doing to him as he continued, "You get all dull-eyed and you don't hear jack shit. Then Jiang Cheng has to punch you or something, and then we have to repeat whatever it was we were telling you."
He leveled his gaze, pausing the gentle swipe of a makeup brush over his eyelid before adding, "And you do it, like, all the time."
Wei Wuxian was going to say, 'I don't,' but, well, he supposed he sort of did. But that wasn't his fault He had half a mind to tell Huaisang he ought to try having an adopted mother who considers ranting on about family expectations and proper values a good use of mother-son quality time, and see if he came out of it unscathed. It was the only way Yu Ziyuan wouldn't have talked his ear off he he hadn't.
Instead, he shrugged, "S'part of my charm."
Instead of pushing the conversation, Huaisang just laughed, which Wei Wuxian liked about him, "I'm not the one you need to charm here, my friend. I'm taken."
"Oh, ew, don't remind me," Wei Wuxian scowled. He went to stick his tongue out at his friend, but then realised the way that would move his face might mess with whatever precarious process Huaisang had in motion, and he didn't want to get yelled at if he messed up his work by talking. He knew what Huaisang's wrath felt like, and it was not pretty.
He managed to stay quiet all the way until he was finished which, he had to admit, was a small feat. Silence made him uncomfortable sometimes. It depended on the person really, but much of the time it just felt like there was tension building. Like it would snap and something would end up very very wrong if Wei Wuxian couldn't fill the silence right then.
But nothing bad did happen, though his knee had picked up a near consistent bounce by the time Huaisang at last tapped on it to let him know he could check his reflection in the mirror. Wei Wuxian hopped down from the vanity and turned to inspect his work, unable to stop the grin that grew on his face if he tried.
"Holy shit," he beamed, "I've got to have you do this more often.'"
Behind him, Huaisang looked immensely pleased with himself "I know, I killed it. You don't have to tell me."
'Killed it' was an understatement. Huaisang hadn't done much, really, just a bit of shadow over his eyelis and under his waterline, but whatever combination of shadowy colours he had used made his eyes stand out so brightly against the rest of his face. It suited the red and black colour scheme he had going almost perfectly, without seeming completely out of place.
Wei Wuxian whirled around, all but throwing himself at Huaisang for a hug that was gladly and tightly returned.
"You rule, Huaisang," he grinned into his shoulder.
"I know," Huaisang replied, "Now-"
The crunch of gravel in the driveway and slam of a car door immediately afterward sent Wei Wuxian's heart all the way up to his throat. It was like swallowing around a lump of cotton and, oh shit-
"He's here," Wei Wuxian said, though it was more like a wheezing sort of gasp, "Huaisang, shoot me, I think I'm going to be sick."
And Huaisang, his best friend who was supposed to be on his side, just laughed at him. Laughed! At him! In his time of greatest need!
"You'll be fine," Huaisang assured him, reaching up to pat him on the shoulder, "But I'll get a bowl from the kitchen just in case."
"Much obliged," Wei Wuxian tried for a laugh. He was pretty sure it failed on account of all the absolute panic.
'Alright, Wei Ying, you can do this,' he tried to tell himself as they made their way downstairs together. The doorbell had rung and he was certain Lan Zhan was downstairs already, most likely waiting patiently for them to come downstairs and open the door. He wouldn't even complain if they made him wait a million years to be let in, because he was just that wonderfully, amazingly patient it made Wei Wuxian's chest ache.
No, wait…. No, that was just the rapid onset terror.
Fuck, this was a mistake. A huge mistake. Probably the worst mistake he had ever made in his life and he couldn't even do anything about it now becuase he was halfway down the stairs and would be seen any moment. Also Huaisang would call him a chicken if he bailed now, and he didn't think he could handle the shame.
So he had to just…force his feet to keep moving, trying desperately to not miss a step and tumble his way down the remaining steps to make the ultimate fool of himself. What had he gotten himself into? A date? Of all the things he had to worry about in his life right now, he chose to add a date on to that? And with the famed Lan Wangji of all people. All because he was stupid and terribly lame, and had gone and fallen in-
"Wangji-xiong! Hi, it's good to see you, come on in!"
-love. Wei Wuxian was in love. Oh, this man. Wow. The concept that he had been teriffied out of his wits two seconds ago now seemed unfathomable. It had fled his mind completely. What had he even been scared of? Suddenly he couldn't seem to remember if he tried. All his brain was processing was Lan standing there - nodding politely as Huaisang let him in - looking like the only thing worth paying attention to in the whole entired world.
Summer was fading into fall now, which meant it was time for him to break out his assortment of blue jumpers, and Wei Wuxian had never been more thrilled. He was wearing one now, the sky blue one with the rabbit embriodered over his heart that Wei Wuxian had bought for him on a whim a few months ago. It looked beyond good on him, and was only made better by the grey slacks he had chosen to pair it with which violently reminded him that Lan Wangji had legs for days and he was very un-chill about that fact. His hair was pulled half back, framing his face and his high, glorious cheekbones, as if he didn't look downright divine already.
He looked good. So, so good and Wei Wuxian wanted to jump him right that second.
He restrained himself, and instead crossed the room, willing his legs not to give out, and stopped just in front of him.
"Hey," he said, embarassingly breathless. He was trying to at least pretend he was cool, dammit.
"Hello," The corner of Lan Zhan's mouthticked up in a soft smile, and Wei Wuxian nearly did fall right to the floor. He might melt down and fall straight through the hardwood if he was being honest.
"Ohhhh my- Please leave," Huaisang groaned very suddenly and very loudly from behind them, "I'm kicking you out, I don't care if this is your apartment, Wei-xiong. I do not need to see my friend eye-fuckingLan Wangji right in front of me."
Wei Wuxian turned his head and stuck out his tongue at him, a petty move that was fully returned, before they did, in fact, start to make their way out the door.
"I want to hear everything when you get back!" Huaisang called as he dashed down the direvway to his own car to go home, "Be safe, have fun, and don't make a life or take a life!"
Then he shut the car door behind himself and it was just him and Lan Zhan.
Wei Wuxian felt the nerves return only marginally less dramatic than before. It was so embarassing. He did not get nervous, yet here he was, exactly that. He swallowed thickly, turned his head to look up at Lan Zhan in a way he hoped was not so terribly awkward.
"Lan Zhan," he grinned, "Ready to take me on a date?"
"Mn," Lan Zhan nodded, before he reached out and offered a hand that Wei Wuxian did not even hesitate to take. He laced his fingers together in a way that sent his heart raching all over again and began to lead them down the walkway. There was a perfect ease to it. He hopped into the passenger seat of the car and fiddled around on the radio just as he had so many times in the past and it felt right. It was just him, and Lan Zhan, and some bad pop songs playing from the crackly old speakers on what he hoped would be their first date of many to come, and Wei Wuxian realised he had not needed to be worried at all.