Chapter Text
To say that Li Ziwei was nervous would have been an understatement.
He had played in front of thousands of people.
He had walked onto stages beneath blinding spotlights with a headset around his neck and his phone already connected to the team lobby.
He had sat through draft phases where the enemy team had banned three of his strongest support heroes and still somehow found a way to make the game work.
He had played deciding games with his heart pounding so hard that he could feel it against his ribs.
None of those things had prepared him for this.
Ziwei stood in front of an apartment door, staring at the number written beside it.
Then he looked down.
At the bucket of flowers in his hand.
Then back at the door.
"Okay."
He inhaled.
Exhaled.
Inhaled again.
"You're a professional player."
Another breath.
"You've played in the KPL."
Another.
"You've been chased by fans outside venues."
He glanced down at the flowers.
"...And you're terrified of giving your boyfriend flowers."
Ziwei sighed.
The florist had assured him that the arrangement was perfect.
Not too romantic.
Not too casual.
Just right for a first date.
Ziwei wasn't entirely convinced.
There were far too many flowers in the bucket.
But apparently that was what people did on dates.
And this was, technically, their first date.
Officially.
They had already been together for a little while.
They had already exchanged messages that made Ziwei smile at his phone like an idiot.
They had already stolen quiet moments between training sessions.
They had already figured out that their relationship had somehow become something neither of them wanted to lose.
But this was different.
This was the first time Wan Ziqi had invited him to his apartment.
His boyfriend's apartment.
Ziwei swallowed.
His boyfriend.
The words still felt strange.
Not bad.
Just strange.
Especially because his boyfriend was also his Head Coach.
Wan "ZiQi" Ziqi.
The man who could stand behind the team's players during practice and calmly explain why a particular rotation had failed.
The man who could look at a replay for thirty seconds and immediately identify the exact moment the entire map had begun falling apart.
The man who could tell Ziwei that his support positioning was too aggressive in one game and then praise him for making the exact same aggressive play in another because the circumstances were different.
The man who was currently making Ziwei's palms sweat simply by inviting him over.
Ziwei raised his free hand.
Knocked.
Nothing.
He waited.
Knocked again.
Still nothing.
"Maybe he's asleep."
That would be embarrassing.
Ziwei looked at the flowers.
Maybe he should leave them outside.
No.
That was worse.
He raised his hand again.
Before he could knock for the third time, the door suddenly opened.
Ziwei froze.
Wan Ziqi stood there.
His glasses were slightly crooked.
His hair looked as though he had run his fingers through it one too many times.
He was wearing a simple shirt and comfortable pants, looking nothing like the composed Head Coach Ziwei was accustomed to seeing at the training facility.
For a second, neither of them said anything.
Then Ziqi blinked.
"Oh."
Ziwei's grip tightened around the flower bucket.
"Hi."
"Hi."
Another silence.
Ziqi looked at the flowers.
Then at Ziwei.
Then back at the flowers.
A faint flush appeared across his face.
"...Those are for me?"
Ziwei almost laughed from nervousness.
"No, I just carry flowers around for fun."
Ziqi stared at him.
Ziwei immediately regretted speaking.
"Sorry."
A smile finally appeared on Ziqi's face.
"You didn't have to bring anything."
"I know."
"But you did."
"I know."
"Why?"
Ziwei looked down.
"Because it's our first date."
Ziqi's expression softened.
"Oh."
He stepped aside.
"Come in."
Ziwei entered.
And immediately stopped.
He stared.
Papers.
There were papers everywhere.
Not just on the desk.
Not just on the table.
They were scattered across the floor.
Some were covered in handwritten notes.
Some had hero portraits printed across the top.
Others contained diagrams of rotations and team-fight formations.
Ziwei bent slightly and picked one up.
There were notes about a hero's skill cooldowns.
Another paper listed weaknesses.
Another compared recent balance changes.
Another had several heroes crossed out and replaced with handwritten alternatives.
He looked around.
"Coach..."
Ziqi closed the door behind him.
"Sorry. It's messy."
Ziwei looked at him.
"This isn't messy."
He held up a sheet.
"This is a crime scene."
Ziqi laughed.
"I was working."
"I can see that."
"There's been a patch update."
"I know."
"I wanted to go through the changes before our next training session."
"Of course you did."
Ziwei smiled.
He knew this side of Ziqi.
Maybe that was what had attracted him in the first place.
Ziqi didn't just coach because it was his job.
He studied the game constantly.
Every patch update meant new possibilities.
New weaknesses.
New combinations.
New strategies.
Honor of Kings wasn't something they simply played.
For people like them, it was a language.
And Ziqi spoke it fluently.
Ziwei stepped carefully between the papers.
Then something else caught his attention.
He crouched.
There were several sheets underneath a stack of patch notes.
He picked one up.
At the top were the words:
**COACH CERTIFICATION EXAMINATION**
Ziwei blinked.
Then looked at Ziqi.
"You're taking the Coach Exam?"
Ziqi adjusted his glasses.
"Eventually."
"Eventually?"
"I have to."
Every Head Coach had to take it.
The certification was part of the requirements for remaining in the role, and Ziqi had been preparing for it alongside everything else.
Ziwei looked at the papers again.
There were highlighted sections.
Handwritten notes.
Practice questions.
A schedule.
He looked back at his boyfriend.
"You've been studying."
"A little."
"Coach."
"A lot."
Ziwei smiled.
"You didn't tell me."
"I didn't want to make tonight about work."
Ziwei's smile became softer.
"You invited me into your apartment."
"Yes."
"And you have Hero Matchup Analysis on the floor."
Ziqi glanced downward.
"...Yes."
"And the Coach Exam materials."
"...Yes."
"And I think that's a draft for tomorrow's scrim."
Ziqi followed his gaze.
"...Maybe."
Ziwei laughed.
Ziqi looked embarrassed.
"I was going to clean."
"When?"
"Before you arrived."
"Clearly."
"I got distracted."
"By work?"
"Yes."
Ziwei raised an eyebrow.
"You're terrible at dates."
"I know."
The answer came so quickly that Ziwei stopped.
Ziqi sighed.
"I'm sorry."
"Hey."
Ziwei placed the flowers carefully on the nearest table.
Then he stepped closer.
"You don't have to apologize."
"But this isn't exactly romantic."
Ziwei looked around.
Papers.
Patch notes.
Hero diagrams.
Coach Exam questions.
A laptop displaying what appeared to be a replay analysis.
Then he looked back at Ziqi.
"I don't think I've ever seen anything more you."
Ziqi blinked.
Ziwei smiled.
"And I like you."
The flush returned to Ziqi's cheeks.
"You do?"
"Unfortunately."
"Unfortunately?"
"Very unfortunate."
Ziqi laughed.
The sound was quiet.
Warm.
Different from the laugh Ziwei heard during team dinners or after a successful scrim.
This one was his.
At least for tonight.
Ziqi reached for Ziwei's hand.
Their fingers intertwined.
"I'm glad you came."
Ziwei looked at their hands.
"Me too."
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Ziqi glanced toward the kitchen.
"I ordered food."
"Good."
"And there's a movie ready."
"Even better."
"And..."
Ziwei waited.
Ziqi looked toward the papers.
"I may have accidentally left the patch notes on the dining table."
Ziwei stared at him.
"Coach."
"I'll move them."
"Now."
"Yes."
"And you're not allowed to analyze heroes during our date."
Ziqi considered this seriously.
"Can I think about them?"
"No."
"What if I can't help it?"
"Then I'll ban you."
"You're my player."
"I'm your boyfriend tonight."
Ziqi smiled.
"Okay."
He squeezed Ziwei's hand.
"Boyfriend."
The word made Ziwei's heart jump.
It was ridiculous.
He had heard Ziqi say it before.
But somehow, hearing it here—in this apartment, away from the team, away from the stage, away from everyone else—made it feel real.
Ziwei leaned closer.
"So..."
"So?"
"Our first date."
"Yes."
"Where are we going?"
Ziqi looked around his apartment.
Then at the scattered papers.
Then at the flowers.
Finally, at Ziwei.
"I thought we could stay here."
Ziwei smiled.
"Honestly?"
"Honestly."
"I think I'd like that."
Ziqi's shoulders relaxed.
"Good."
He tugged Ziwei gently toward the kitchen.
"Come on."
"Why?"
"Dinner."
"Right."
They took three steps.
Ziqi stopped.
"Oh."
"What?"
"The Coach Exam."
Ziwei groaned.
"Don't you dare."
"I need to put it away."
"After dinner."
"But—"
"After."
Ziqi stared at him.
Then smiled.
"Yes, sir."
Ziwei laughed.
For once, neither of them had to think about the next match.
No draft.
No scrim.
No opponents.
No stage.
Just two glasses of water on a small dining table, a bucket of flowers between them, and a pile of unfinished coaching notes waiting patiently for tomorrow.
Tonight belonged to them.
And for Ziwei, that was more than enough.
-
Dinner was unexpectedly good.
Actually—
No.
That wasn't the right word.
Dinner was *perfect*.
Ziwei stared at the food on the table.
Then at Ziqi.
Then back at the food.
"You ordered all of this?"
Ziqi nodded.
"Yeah."
Ziwei picked up his chopsticks.
There were dishes he liked.
Not things he had casually mentioned once.
His actual favorites.
The kind of food he usually ordered after a long day of training.
The kind of food he reached for when he was tired.
Even the drink sitting beside his hand was the one he usually bought from the convenience store near the training facility.
Ziwei slowly looked up.
"Coach."
Ziqi immediately became suspicious.
"What?"
"How did you know?"
"Know what?"
"My preferences."
Ziqi adjusted his glasses.
"I pay attention."
"To my food?"
"To you."
Ziwei froze.
Ziqi seemed to realize what he had just said.
His ears turned red.
"I mean—"
Ziwei smiled.
"No, no."
He leaned forward.
"Continue."
"I just..."
Ziqi suddenly found his chopsticks extremely interesting.
"You've ordered the same things before."
"When?"
"Team dinners."
Ziwei blinked.
"You remember?"
"Of course."
"You remember what I order at team dinners?"
"Yes."
"What else do you remember?"
Ziqi hesitated.
Ziwei grinned.
"Come on. I'm curious."
Ziqi sighed.
"You don't like things that are too sweet."
Ziwei nodded.
"Correct."
"You prefer tea over coffee."
"Correct."
"You don't like cilantro."
"Very correct."
"You'll eat spicy food, but only when you're already in a good mood."
Ziwei's mouth fell open.
"What?"
Ziqi looked slightly embarrassed.
"You get grumpy when you're tired."
"I do not."
"You do."
"I don't."
"You glare at everyone."
"I don't glare."
"You glared at WuYan last week."
"He stole my charger."
Ziqi nodded.
"Exactly."
Ziwei laughed.
"You really do pay attention."
Ziqi looked at him over the rim of his glasses.
"I told you."
The words were simple.
But somehow they made Ziwei's chest feel warm.
Ziqi knew how he played.
He knew his habits in game.
He knew which support heroes Ziwei preferred depending on the composition.
He knew when Ziwei was likely to roam aggressively and when he would stay close to his bottom laner.
Apparently, he also knew what Ziwei liked to eat.
Ziwei lowered his gaze.
"Thank you."
Ziqi smiled.
"Eat before it gets cold."
"Yes, Coach."
"Ziwei."
"Yes?"
"You're off duty tonight."
Ziwei laughed.
"Then you are too."
Ziqi paused.
"Deal."
They ate.
And for a while, there was no KPL.
No team.
No match schedules.
No patch notes.
No Coach Exam.
Just conversation.
They talked about stupid things.
The first hero Ziwei had ever played seriously.
The worst food Ziqi had ever eaten during an away match.
The most embarrassing moment either of them had experienced on stage.
At one point, Ziwei nearly choked laughing when Ziqi admitted that he had once spent nearly an hour studying a hero matchup only to discover that the problem wasn't the matchup.
His player had simply forgotten to buy an item.
"You're telling me you analyzed an entire game?"
"Yes."
"For an item?"
"I didn't know at the time."
Ziwei laughed harder.
Ziqi covered his face.
"Stop."
"I can't."
"You've laughed for five minutes."
"Because you're supposed to be the smart one."
"I am."
"Then how did you miss that?"
"I trusted the data."
"The data was wrong."
"The data wasn't wrong."
Ziwei wiped the corner of his eye.
"You're impossible."
"And yet."
Ziqi reached across the table.
His fingers brushed against Ziwei's.
"And yet you're here."
Ziwei's laughter faded.
He turned his hand over.
Their fingers intertwined.
"Yeah."
He smiled.
"I am."
---
After dinner, they cleaned up together.
Well.
Ziqi tried to clean.
Ziwei kept stealing dishes from him.
"You cooked."
"I ordered."
"Same thing."
"No, it isn't."
"It is tonight."
Eventually, Ziqi gave up and let Ziwei help.
Once everything was put away, they moved to the sofa.
The movie was already queued.
Ziwei glanced at the television.
"What did you choose?"
Ziqi looked slightly guilty.
"A romance movie."
Ziwei stared at him.
"You?"
"What's wrong with that?"
"Nothing."
Ziwei smiled.
"I'm just surprised."
"Why?"
"You're the kind of person who watches match replays before bed."
"Not every night."
"Most nights."
Ziqi didn't deny it.
They settled beside each other.
At first, there was a polite amount of distance between them.
Then the movie started.
Ten minutes passed.
Ziwei shifted closer.
Another ten minutes.
Ziqi shifted closer too.
Neither acknowledged it.
Another twenty minutes.
Their shoulders were touching.
Ziwei smiled at the screen.
Then he felt something brush against his hand.
Ziqi's fingers.
Ziwei glanced down.
Ziqi immediately pulled his hand back.
"Sorry."
Ziwei caught his wrist.
"Don't."
Ziqi looked at him.
Ziwei took his hand.
"You can hold my hand."
"Oh."
Ziqi's fingers slowly intertwined with his.
The movie continued.
Ziwei smiled.
This was nice.
Quiet.
Simple.
Almost ordinary.
Then—
Something moved behind the sofa.
Ziwei turned his head.
"What was that?"
Ziqi froze.
"What?"
"I saw something."
"No, you didn't."
Ziwei narrowed his eyes.
"Coach."
"Yes?"
"What are you hiding?"
"Nothing."
There was another rustling sound.
Ziwei immediately sat up.
"There's something here."
Ziqi sighed.
"Probably."
"Probably?"
Before Ziqi could answer, a small furry head slowly appeared from behind the sofa.
Ziwei's eyes widened.
"...Is that a cat?"
The cat stared at him.
Ziwei stared back.
Ziqi sighed.
"Yes."
"You have a cat?"
"Yes."
"You never told me!"
"I didn't think it was important."
Ziwei turned toward him.
"Your cat is literally hiding behind your sofa."
"I know."
"Why?"
Ziqi glanced toward the cat.
"She's shy."
The cat immediately disappeared behind the sofa again.
Ziwei looked stunned.
"She disappeared."
"Yes."
"Because of me?"
"Probably."
Ziwei placed a hand over his chest.
"She hates me."
"She doesn't."
"She saw me and ran away."
"She does that with everyone."
"Everyone?"
"Except me."
Ziwei looked at Ziqi.
Then at the place where the cat had disappeared.
"What's her name?"
Ziqi hesitated.
"...Momo."
"Momo."
"Yes."
Ziwei smiled.
"Can I meet her?"
"She'll probably run."
"I don't care."
Ziwei crouched down near the hiding place.
"Momo?"
Nothing.
"Hi."
Silence.
"I'm Ziwei."
Nothing.
"I brought flowers for your dad."
Ziqi nearly choked.
"Her what?"
Ziwei looked over his shoulder.
"Her dad."
"I'm not her father."
"You feed her."
"That doesn't make me her father."
"You buy her food."
"Ziwei."
"You take care of her."
Ziqi rubbed his forehead.
"Just call me Ziqi."
Ziwei grinned.
"Okay, Dad."
"You're banned."
"You can't ban your boyfriend."
"I can."
"You need me."
Ziqi stared at him.
"...Unfortunately."
Ziwei laughed.
Momo cautiously peeked out again.
This time, she didn't run.
Ziwei held out his hand.
"Hi."
The cat sniffed the air.
Then slowly stepped forward.
One paw.
Then another.
Ziqi watched from the sofa.
"Don't move too quickly."
"I know."
"Momo doesn't trust people easily."
Ziwei nodded.
"I'll wait."
A few seconds later, Momo finally approached his hand.
She sniffed his fingers.
Then rubbed her head against them.
Ziwei's face immediately lit up.
"She likes me!"
Ziqi smiled.
"Looks like it."
Ziwei carefully scratched beneath Momo's chin.
The cat purred.
And just like that, the entire balance of the evening changed.
Momo climbed into Ziwei's lap.
Ziwei looked down at her in disbelief.
"Coach."
"Hm?"
"I think your cat likes me more than you."
Ziqi stared.
"Momo."
The cat ignored him.
Ziwei grinned triumphantly.
"See?"
Ziqi crossed his arms.
"Traitor."
Momo purred louder.
Ziwei laughed.
He looked up at Ziqi.
And something about the sight made his heart ache pleasantly.
Ziqi was sitting there with his glasses slightly crooked, his hair messy, his cat sitting comfortably in Ziwei's lap, and his carefully planned first date no longer looking anything like what he had probably imagined.
But he was smiling.
Really smiling.
Ziwei reached out with one hand.
"Come here."
Ziqi blinked.
"Why?"
Ziwei held out his hand.
"Because it's our first date."
Ziqi looked at his hand.
Then at him.
Finally, he moved closer.
Their shoulders touched again.
Momo remained between them.
Ziwei smiled.
Maybe this was better than any restaurant.
Better than any carefully planned date.
Because this was Ziqi.
The coach who knew every weakness in every hero.
The man studying for his Coach Exam late into the night.
The boyfriend who remembered what Ziwei liked to eat.
And apparently—
The owner of a very judgmental cat.
Ziwei leaned his head against Ziqi's shoulder.
"Thank you."
Ziqi looked down.
"For what?"
"For tonight."
Ziqi smiled.
"Thank you for coming."
Ziwei closed his eyes.
"Anytime."
On the TV, the abandoned movie continued playing.
On the floor, several patch notes remained forgotten.
And somewhere beneath the dining table, the Coach Exam materials were still waiting.
Neither of them cared.
Not tonight.