espresso martini

Wei Ying had a problem. The problem? He was trying to figure out the most effective way to sneak Emperor’s Smile past the new room advisor of his dorm. The role had been taken up by the well-established Lan Xichen after the previous guy — Su She, Wei Ying recalled — had been kicked out of the position for not upholding rules. Wei Ying hated to admit it, but he would miss Su She — only because despite how badly they got along, Wei Ying had always had no problem smuggling alcohol into his dorm.

Lan Xichen, or Zewu-Jun, on the other hand was on another level entirely. His name was well known throughout campus and beyond. He excelled in everything he did. From academia, to musical performances with his guqin, to his swordsmanship, to his social etiquette. He thrived in all areas. However, part of the reputation he had earned had come due to his extreme diligence when it came to rules — as typical of those of the Lan sect. According to rumours Wei Ying had heard, Lan Xichen had even turned himself in for punishment when it was discovered a student he had mentored had plagiarised someone else’s work. The guy was too disciplined, Wei Ying thought.

As he laid back on his bed he tossed his brother’s tennis ball into the air before catching and repeating the action. Just what would be the best way?

The dorm door was then thrown open and in came a frowning Jiang Cheng, Wei Ying’s brother and roommate, followed by a carefree Nie Huaisang.

“So—” Nie Huaisang said, with the look of someone up to no good.

Jiang Cheng was quick to stop him with a groan. “I don’t care about whatever rumours you’ve heard about Lan Wangji.”

Nie Huaisang pouted. “They’re not rumours — they’re facts!”

Wei Ying’s ears perked up. He sat up, placing the tennis ball on his bedside table. “Do enlighten me please. What did you hear about Lan Wangji?” Wei Ying said.

Lan Wangji, or sometimes referred to by his title Hanguang-Jun, was the younger brother of Lan Xichen and he was well known throughout campus in his own right for similar feats as his brother. But while Lan Xichen was stringent with rules, he was also kind and social among all the sects. Lan Wangji on the other hand was rumoured to be serious, stoic and unmoving when it came to rules. He was known as the less sociable one of the two Lan brothers. Wei Ying had heard many rumours about the guy, but he had never actually engaged or even seen him.

Nie Huaisang grinned as he turned to Wei Ying. “Oh? What’s this? Brother Wei has developed an interest in the one and only Hanguang-Jun?” He opened his fan in front of his face.

“Unlikely,” Jiang Cheng filled in for him. “His brother is our new room advisor. Wei Wuxian probably just wants to know how he can sneak alcohol in past him.”

Wei Ying looked offended. “Me sneak alcohol into the dorms? I would never!” he said.

Jiang Cheng just rolled his eyes before taking his tennis ball back and sitting on his bed.

Nie Huaisang pocketed his fan and sat himself on Wei Ying’s desk chair. “Well whatever the case, I heard he’s working at that new coffee shop. You know the one near the Cloud Recesses library?”

Wei Ying nodded. He knew the one – he’d passed it earlier in the week. “Ah! What a coincidence! I feel like a coffee right now!” He stood up. “I’ll see you two later.”

“Don’t go causing trouble,” Jiang Cheng scolded.

“I never do!” Wei Ying replied.

“Lies.”

Wei Ying just laughed as he exited the dorm room.

The only bad part of his plan was that he forgot the Cloud Recesses library was on the other side of campus, which would be fine normally, but it was especially cold and wet that day and Wei Ying had not dressed appropriately. He picked up the pace.

When he finally arrived at the cafe, it was quieter than he thought it would be. Only a few tables were occupied. As he walked up to the counter he was quick to recognise the guy at the cash register.

“Wen Ning? You work here?” he said.

“Young Master Wei!” Wen Ning greeted him. “It only opened recently, so I haven’t been working here long.”

“Ah, I see. I see.” Wei Ying nodded. It was then that he felt another pair of eyes lingering on him. He glanced over at the man behind the coffee machine. There was no doubting it. Despite having never met him, Wei Ying just knew the person was Lan Wangji. His long black hair was tied up in a high ponytail, but the Lan headband was still in place and his resemblance to the ever famous Lan Xichen was clear as day. His expression was stoic, just as the rumours said, but he was definitely handsome — something that hadn’t ever crossed Wei Ying’s mind before.

“What can I get you?” Wen Ning said after looking back and forth between Wei Ying and Lan Wangji nervously.

“Hmmm… a large cappuccino please,” Wei Ying said.

“Sure. That’ll be $5.”

Wei Ying tapped his debit card and once approved, moved closer to the coffee machine, watching as Lan Wangji got to work on making his coffee. His hands moved fast like a seasoned pro, despite the fact he was new to the job.

“Don’t skimp on the chocolate, Hanguang-Jun,” Wei Ying said and gave Lan Wangji a wink. This caused Lan Wangji to fumble when he reached for the chocolate powder, but it was barely noticeable as he quickly recovered. Wei Ying was curious, but said nothing. Afterall, he knew full well that people with a reputation like him generally didn’t get on well with people like Lan Wangji. That was probably all it was: irritation.

Nevertheless, Lan Wangji tapped some chocolate dusting over the coffee before placing a lid on top. He placed it in front of Wei Ying. “One cappuccino,” was all Lan Wangji said.

Wei Ying smiled and accepted it. “Thank you,” he said. Lan Wangji gave a curt nod.

And that’s when the idea struck him: coffee cups! It wasn’t ideal, but he could get one of those extra large coffee flasks and smuggle alcohol in that way. Lan Xichen would have no clue!

Grinning like a fool, Wei Ying took his drink and left the coffee shop. He forgot just how cold it was outside but not even that could take away his victorious mood. Instead, he headed back to his dorm room letting his cappuccino warm his hands.

——

It wasn’t until later that week, Friday night, that Wei Ying attempted to put his plan into action. He had informed Jiang Cheng of what he was going to do, but his brother had merely shook his head in dismay and warned him not to bring shame to their family. If everything went as smoothly as Wei Ying hoped, there would be nothing to worry about.

Wei Ying walked out of the liquor store with one bottle of Emperor’s Smile and rounded the corner into a dark empty alleyway. He withdrew his coffee flask from his bag, twisted off the lid and proceeded to pour the Emperor’s Smile into it. There was a small fraction of alcohol remaining once the flask was full, so Wei Ying merely downed the remainder from the bottle there and then; it would be a shame for it to go to waste, he reasoned.

Happy with the innocuous appearance of the flask, Wei Ying tossed the empty Emperor’s Smile bottle in a nearby trash can and headed back to his dorm. He carried it in his hand — worried that it would leak in his bag since he had filled it to the brim. Besides, he figured it would be more convincing that there was actual coffee in it that way.

As he arrived back at the dorms, he discovered he had been wrong in assuming Lan Xichen would be there. Instead, he was faced with Lan Wangji who was seated at the coffee table in the lounge, his eyes focused on a book open in front of him.

Fortunately, Wei Ying was aware that this was a possibility. He had bumped into Wen Ning the day before and they had got onto the topic of work. Wei Ying had playfully said, “I hope you’re not rostered on with Lan Wangji all the time. He seems too serious. You gotta have some fun.” Wen Ning had merely laughed and responded that Lan Wangji only worked Tuesday, Thursday and sometimes Saturday, whereas Wen Ning himself worked every business day.

Acquiring that information, although unintentionally, was very helpful; it meant, if this attempt to smuggle alcohol into the dorms failed because of Lan Wangji, then at least he could get away with it on those days instead.

It was clever thinking of the Lan brothers to have Lan Wangji to sit in the lounge. One had to pass through the lounge to get to their dorm room; this would allow Lan Xichen, or Lan Wangji in this case, to supervise who and what passed through. Su She had never bothered, which is probably what led to his forced departure.

“Ah, Hanguang-Jun. Hi!” Wei Ying greeted him with a smile.

Lan Wangji looked up from his book. He locked eyes with him for what felt longer than necessary before giving a curt nod. His eyes fell upon the flask in Wei Ying’s hand.

“Coffee?” Lan Wangji said.

“Uh, yeah,” Wei Ying said, internally cringing at his hesitation. He gestured to the flask with his free hand. “Need all the caffeine I can get to finish this essay.”

Lan Wangji didn’t comment.

“Where’s your brother anyway?”

“Brother is busy,” Lan Wangji said.

“Right. I’ll, uh, leave you to read your book in peace then,” Wei Ying said with a smile, gesturing at Lan Wangji’s book.

As he walked past Lan Wangji he felt a hand grip his wrist.

“Wait,” Lan Wangji said. “What’s really in the flask?”

Wei Ying cursed mentally. He turned to Lan Wangji. “Huh?” he said, playing dumb with a tilt of his head. “Coffee? What else would be in there?”

“Prove it.”

“Aw, come on, Lan Zhan! You know I need all this coffee to keep me focused! I can’t spare a drop.”

Lan Zhan did not react to the use of his personal name. Wei Ying was a little disappointed but at the same time encouraged by the lack of reaction.

“It is forbidden to bring alcohol into the dorms.” Lan Zhan looked Wei Ying straight in the eyes. “… Wei Ying,” he added.

Wei Ying’s eyebrows rose. He hadn’t been expecting that. He didn’t even know Lan Zhan was aware of his name, let alone his personal name. So they were on personal names now? Fascinating.

He looked at the coffee flask in his hand and an idea sprung to mind. Maybe, just maybe, he could out-reason Lan Zhan. Lan Zhan couldn’t prove with full certainty that Wei Ying’s flask was not full of alcohol unless he actually tasted it himself, right? And that was something Lan Zhan would never do because of his sect’s rules. Surely, he would have to let Wei Ying carry on if he could not be certain? One way to find out, Wei Ying figured.

Wei Ying made to move past Lan Zhan, but Lan Zhan stood in front of him, blocking the way. A sandalwood scent filled the air; of course Lan Zhan just had to smell good too. Now’s no time to be distracted, even if Lan Zhan is… interesting. 

Wei Ying gave a dramatic sigh. “Guess you’re just going to have to do a taste test to verify that it’s not alcohol,” Wei Ying said, walking to the joint kitchen. He grabbed a glass and placed it atop the counter. Lan Zhan followed closely behind.

“There is no need. I can tell by its smell and appearance,” Lan Zhan countered, but nevertheless appeared beside him.

Wei Ying wiggled a finger in front of Lan Zhan’s face. “Tssk, Lan Zhan. You can’t be certain unless you taste it!” He proceeded to pour some of the Emperor’s Smile into the glass. Lan Zhan appeared unsurprised by the clear contents that came out. Wei Ying pushed the glass in Lan Zhan’s direction.

Lan Zhan brought the glass under his nose. “It’s alcohol.”

Wei Ying reached for the glass. His fingers brushed against Lan Zhan’s; they were warm, contrasting his own cold hands from being outside. “Looks like water to me,” he said and proceeded to take a swig. He put a finger to his chin as if contemplating the taste and swallowed. “Yep. Definitely water.”

Lan Zhan’s face remained as impassive as ever. “I will taste it,” he said. Fuck, Wei Ying thought but he kept his composure and slid the glass across to Lan Zhan.

Lifting the glass to his lips, Lan Zhan took a sip. Wei Wuxian could not believe it. The esteemed Hanguang-Jun, who adhered rigorously to his sect’s rules, now breaking them? What a turn of events.

“It is alcohol. Certainly not water,” Lan Zhan said. His usual neutral expression gave way to a slight frown and scrunched nose. It was kind of.. cute, Wei Ying thought.

“Surely you can’t be certain with such a tiny sip!” Wei Ying said, desperately trying to bluff his way out of the situation somehow.

Lan Zhan did not look impressed. “I am not a fool, Wei Ying. Hand over the alcohol.”

Wei Ying contemplated bolting past Lan Zhan and seeing how far he got. The other man was fit, if his physique was anything to go by; but surely he couldn’t be as quick as Wei Ying! He was just about to put his plan into action when Lan Zhan’s eyes started to flutter — as if he was fighting to keep them open — and then, without so much as a word’s warning, he started to fall. Wei Ying’s body acted on instinct and he managed to catch Lan Zhan before he collided face first with the floor.

“What the hell,” Wei Ying said, feeling rather alarmed. He managed to maneuver Lan Zhan’s body onto a nearby sofa. He patted Lan Zhan’s cheek, hoping to stir the man. “Lan Zhan, are you okay?” But Lan Zhan did not respond. Instead, Lan Zhan’s breathing evened out. It almost sounded as if… as if he was sleeping?

Who would’ve thought the esteemed Hanguang-Jun would fall asleep from a drop of Emperor’s Smile? Wei Ying chuckled to himself. What to do now, though? He couldn’t just leave Lan Zhan there in that state. He would have to stay. Besides, Lan Zhan was proving to be a lot more interesting than he initially gave him credit for. Wei Wuxian grinned and decided that he would stay with Lan Zhan for the time being and if he just happened to drink all his Emperor’s Smile in that time, well, who had to know?

Wei Ying finished the remainder of Emperor’s Smile that Lan Zhan had left before topping the small glass with some more from his coffee flask. He sat back on the sofa and looked over at the sleeping Lan Zhan. He really was handsome; he could definitely understand why he had so many admirers. But something about his sleeping form made him look a lot softer, more approachable than his awake form. Wei Ying would be lying if he said he wasn’t somewhat tempted to just tuck himself in right up next to him and get cozy. He shook that thought out of his head and took another swig from his glass. Can you imagine? Lan Zhan would probably combust from anger if he woke up to that! 

With a sigh, Wei Ying withdrew his phone from his pocket and absently responded to his notifications. One of the notifications was a message from Jiang Cheng. It read:

You’re not back yet and I know that Lan Wangji was on watch. Should I start making funeral arrangements?

Wei Ying typed out a reply:

Ha ha you’re so funny. I’m fine. Just hanging out with him now, actually! Who knew the guy is actually really laid back!

He snorted at his own joke.

It only took a few minutes for Jiang Cheng’s reply to come through:

What did you do…. Actually, don’t tell me. I don’t want to be considered an accessory to the crime. Goodnight Wei Wuxian.

Chuckling to himself, Wei Ying exited the messaging app and opened one of the many silly game apps he had on his phone. This one was a racing one. He played a good few rounds before he was interrupted by a stirring Lan Zhan.

“Lan Zhan?” Wei Wuxian said, phone forgotten as he patted Lan Zhan’s shoulder.

Lan Zhan stirred a bit more but never opened his eyes. “Wei.. Ying..”

That caught Wei Ying’s interest. “Yes, Lan Zhan?”

“Bunnies… cute.”

Wei Ying had to muffle his laughter. Was the esteemed Hanguang-Jun really confessing his adoration for bunnies in his sleep? Oh, this was gold. It was actually kind of adorable really but it had only managed to intrigue Wei Ying further. Just who are you really, Lan Zhan? He bet that none of his league of admirers knew this side of him. In a way, he felt privileged to see Lan Zhan at his most vulnerable. Though, he doubted Lan Zhan would be much too happy about the situation, once he awoke.

An hour passed by without so much as another word from Lan Zhan. Wei Ying had finished his Emperor’s Smile and was just messaging Wen Ning when he heard someone clear their throat. He looked up. It was Lan Xichen. He looked at Wei Ying with a clear question in his eyes.

“Care to explain?” Lan Xichen said.

Wei Wuxian rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. Lan Xichen was one person he couldn’t bullshit. “I guess you wouldn’t believe Lan Zhan and I had a drinking contest, would you?”

“The truth, if you please, Wei Wuxian.”

“I tried bringing some Emperor’s Smile in. Lan Zhan stopped me. I insisted he had to taste it to be certain it was alcohol, which he surprisingly did, and then he just fell asleep on me! Fast forward to now and here you have it. I didn’t want to leave him since it was my fault in the first place.”

There was a hint of amusement in Lan Xichen’s eyes. “Brother does not bode well with alcohol. You did not know this?”

“I had no idea he was this much of a lightweight! Honestly, I didn’t think he would take me on and actually taste it,” Wei Ying said.

Lan Xichen smiled. “It is very unlike brother. Thank you for sticking around. I can take care of him from here.”

Wei Ying nodded and shot one last look at Lan Zhan. He was still sound asleep, peaceful as ever.

“Oh and Wei Wuxian?”

Wei Ying looked back to Lan Xichen. “Yes, Zewu-Jun?”

With a knowing smile Lan Xichen gestured to the empty flask and glass. “Don’t let me catch you with alcohol again.”

With an awkward laugh, Wei Ying nodded and proceeded to dash out of the lounge and to his dorm room as quickly as he could.

What a night. One thing was certain: Lan Zhan was full of surprises and Wei Ying wanted to know more.

——

The next day, Wei Ying was feeling restless. It was a Saturday afternoon and he had nothing to do. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. He had a pile of assignments to finish but it was more fun to live life on the edge and complete them at the last minute, or so he tried to justify to his procrastinator self. Besides, there was a certain lightweight Lan sect student he couldn’t stop thinking about. He grinned at the thought of Lan Zhan’s sleeping face and decided to venture to the new coffee shop in hope that said guy would be working.

Wei Ying arrived at the coffee shop delighted to find Lan Zhan was behind the coffee maker with his barista apron on. He grinned and waved but Lan Zhan either didn’t take notice of him or elected not to respond. He was disappointed Wen Ning didn’t work Saturdays but he would catch up with him another time.

“Hi, what can I get you?” said the cheerful young woman behind the cash register when it was Wei Ying’s turn to order.

Wei Ying hummed, taking his time to decide. “I’ll have a large cappuccino, please,” he said eventually.

As if on cue, Lan Zhan appeared next to the cash register woman. He slid forward the coffee he’d just prepared to Wei Wuxian.

“Wow, Lan Zhan! You remembered my order? I might have to mix things up next time,” Wei Ying said with a wink at Lan Zhan.

“Shameless,” Lan Zhan said, the tip of his ears slightly red.

The woman on the cash register looked at them both, a look of confusion on her face. “Um, was that all?”

“Ah, no. Can I also get a long-mac topped up, please,” Wei Ying said. He wasn’t fond of the drink but Jiang Cheng was and he may have promised him one before he left. Besides, this also gave him a chance to chat to Lan Zhan.

Wei Ying paid for the drinks and moved to the end of the counter to the coffee machine where Lan Zhan was busy at work.

“So, Lan Zhan. Who knew you were such a lightweight, eh? You said some interesting things last night, you know,” Wei Ying teased. Lan Zhan’s eyes darted up from his busy hands to glare at Wei Ying.

Wei Ying put a finger to his chin. “What was it you said? Oh yeah, you told me you like…” He gazed at Lan Zhan — it was subtle but the usual impassive expression on his face had shifted. His eyes had widened by a fraction, and his hands had stopped moving.

Wei Ying looked around the coffee shop — there was only one other customer and they were busy typing away on their laptop. So he leaned across the counter— earning another look of confusion from the cash register woman— shielded his mouth with his hand, and whispered to Lan Zhan. “Bunnies. You said they’re cute.”

Lan Zhan’s usual stoic and impassive expression returned. Though, was that also a moment of relief on his face? Wei Ying couldn’t be sure. He smiled innocently at Lan Zhan who, unsurprisingly, did not reciprocate, instead finishing up making the second coffee. Lan Zhan was just too fun to tease.

It didn’t take long for Lan Zhan to finish making Jiang Cheng’s coffee.

“Thanks, Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying said, accepting the cardboard coffee tray holding both coffees. Lan Zhan didn’t respond.  He didn’t even give him the curt nod like he had done previously. Wei Ying pouted and exited the coffee shop. Had he pushed things too far? Was Lan Zhan mad at him for what had happened? He didn’t know.

As Wei Ying was on his way back to his and Jiang Cheng’s dorm, he bumped into Lan Xichen. Quite literally — if it wasn’t for Wei Ying’s quick reflexes he would’ve spilled the coffees.

“Ah! Almost spilled them,” Wei Ying said, regaining his balance.

Lan Xichen appeared rather distracted but came to when he realised what had just happened. “Ah, sorry about that,” he said. “Are you okay, Wei Wuxian?”

Wei Ying nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine. But, Zewu-Jun, are you okay? You look kind of.. stressed.”

Lan Xichen sighed. “Am I that easy to read? I’m okay. Just a bit worried. Some younger Lan sect students have exams later next week.”

“Oh. Lan Zhan too?” Wei Ying asked.

Lan Xichen nodded. “Yes. I’m not worried about him, though. Just some other students.”

Wei Ying smiled. “I’m sure they’ll be fine. Especially if they have yours and Lan Zhan’s guidance!” He patted Lan Xichen on the shoulder. “Stress less!”

Lan Xichen visibly eased and laughed. “I can see why my brother is fond of you.”

Wei Ying did a double-take at that. “Lan Zhan fond of me? Ha! You’re a funny one Zewu-Jun,” Wei Ying said, wiggling his finger at Lan Xichen.

Lan Xichen just smiled. “Believe what you will. I must get going. I will see you around, Wei Wuxian.”

“See you!” Wei Ying said. What a strange encounter; Wei Ying wasn’t sure what to make of it. Lan Zhan fond of him? His heartbeat hastened at the thought. But there was no way. The guy could barely tolerate him. If he truly were fond, though, he definitely had an odd way of showing it. Wei Ying didn’t dwell on it, though, and instead returned to his dorm with coffees in hand.

“About time you got here. Thought you got lost,” Jiang Cheng said, swivelling around on his chair.

Wei Ying merely shrugged with a grin and handed him his coffee.

——

Come Tuesday afternoon, Wei Ying was cursing his earlier self for procrastinating. He was sat at his desk in his room, furiously typing away at an essay that was due that evening. It was for his elective class on philosophy and as in usual Wei Ying fashion, he had left it to the last minute.

“I’m meeting Nie Huaisang for coffee. Do you want anything?” came Jiang Cheng’s voice.

Wei Ying turned in his seat. “Oh! Are you going to Lan Zhan’s work?”

Jiang Cheng eyed him suspiciously. “Maybe. Why?”

“Can you give this to him,” Wei Ying said, grabbing a folded up piece of paper from next to his laptop.

Jiang Cheng frowned as he drummed his fingers along his bicep. “You expect me to deliver your love letter to Lan Wangji?”

Wei Wuxian pouted. “It’s not a love letter. It’s a good luck charm. He’s got exams this week.” And it was, truthfully. On the paper he had drawn a rabbit and written: ‘Good luck for your exams, Lan Zhan! — Wei Ying’’.

With a roll of his eyes, Jiang Cheng extended his hand. “Fine. I’ll deliver your so-called good luck charm. Do you want a coffee or not?”

“Yes, please. Large cappuccino!”

Jiang Cheng grabbed his wallet and coat. “I’ll be back soon. Get your essay finished.”

“Yes, mom,” Wei Ying said, which earned him a smack in the head. Jiang Cheng jumped out of reach and exited the room before Wei Ying could retaliate.

By the time Jiang Cheng returned, Wei Ying had managed to get a considerable portion of the essay written.

“Here,” Jiang Cheng said in lieu of a greeting, placing the coffee cup on Wei Ying’s desk.

“Ah, thank you,” Wei Ying practically sang, reaching for the coffee immediately. He took a sip; it was the perfect temperature — probably because the coffee shop Lan Zhan worked at was a fair distance away from their dorms — and tasted just right. Lan Zhan made a decent coffee.

He noticed Jiang Cheng hadn’t moved; he was staring at Wei Ying with an indecipherable look on his face.

“What?” Wei Ying said, somewhat self-consciously.

“How often do you go to that coffee shop?” Jiang Cheng said.

“Eh? I’ve only been a few times. Why?”

“Lan Wangji… he knows your order.”

Wei Ying laughed. “Of course he does. He’s Lan Zhan! Good at everything he does — including remembering coffee orders.”

Jiang Cheng raised his chin. “He doesn’t remember my order and I’ve been there with Nie Huaisang more than a few times.”

Wei Ying smirked, a cheeky question on his lips. “Are you jealous, Jiang Cheng?”

Jiang Cheng’s face morphed through many different expressions all at once, from anger to disbelief to disgust. “Wei Wuxian! How dare you suggest that!”

Wei Ying just laughed as he watched Jiang Cheng calm down.

“What I mean is, why does he remember just your order? Do you two have some kind of special relationship I should know about?” Jiang Cheng said, grimacing.

Wei Ying was taken aback. “What? Me and Lan Zhan? Ha! As if!” His thought of I wish was left unsaid. “The only special relationship we have is that I tease him while he just stares at me disapprovingly. If he remembers me it’s just because of how outspoken I am. Honestly, I think he has a death wish for me. That’s all.”

Jiang Cheng didn’t look entirely convinced but seemed appeased for the time being as he nodded at Wei Ying’s laptop. “Essay done?”

“Almost.”

“Time’s running out. You better get a move on.”

“Leave me in peace then!”

An hour later Wei Ying had managed to submit his essay on time, with exactly 14 minutes to spare: a victory in his books.

——

As Friday came around, Wei Ying was filled with excitement at the thought of seeing Lan Zhan. He didn’t even bother trying to conceal the Emperor’s Smile in a flask; the bottle sat in the paper bag he was carrying.

As he entered the lounge of the dorms he was delighted to see Lan Zhan sitting at the coffee table with his head buried in a book yet again. As if he could sense Wei Ying’s presence, Lan Zhan looked up.

Wei Ying grinned. “Hey, Lan Zhan. Don’t mind me. Just heading through to my dorm,” he said and carried on walking.

Lan Zhan stood. “Alcohol is forbidden in the dorms.”

“I’m well aware of that thanks to your reminder last week. We should do that again some time, Lan Zhan!”

Lan Zhan’s eyes darted to the paper bag in Wei Ying’s hands. “You are trying to bring more in as we speak.”

“Ah, this here?” Wei Ying said, lifting the paper bag. “Nope. Not alcohol. Definitely not Emperor’s Smile.”

Lan Zhan approached Wei Ying and reached for the bag but Wei Ying held it behind himself beyond Lan Zhan’s reach.

“Wei Ying. Hand it over,” Lan Zhan said.

“No. I have a better idea. Why don’t we enjoy it together?”

“Alcohol is forbidden.”

Wei Ying rolled his eyes. “Yes, yes. I got that already. But Lan Zhan, I’m not handing it over. You’ll have to kill me first!”

“Ridiculous,” Lan Zhan muttered.

Wei Ying grinned, happy to have gotten a reaction from the ever stoic Lan Zhan.

Lan Zhan came closer to Wei Ying, reaching his hand out for the paper bag. But Wei Ying transferred the bag to his other hand at the last moment and used his free hand to tap Lan Zhan’s nose. That was clearly not what Lan Zhan was expecting as his eyes went wide.

“You’ll have to try harder than that, Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying said and stepped out of reach to behind one of the sofas in the lounge.

The tips of Lan Zhan’s ears were bright red. But nevertheless, he yet again approached Wei Ying. And so the next few minutes saw a game of cat versus mouse play out. Lan Zhan got so close, several times, but Wei Ying managed to wriggle his way out of every situation. Wei Ying was plenty entertained; he wasn’t so sure Lan Zhan felt the same way.

Wei Ying, feeling all too confident, waved the bag in the air and started walking backwards. “This has been fun, but I’m gonna go drink this now, Lan Zhan! You can still choose to join me, if you like.”

Then a few things happened all at once.

Wei Ying walked backwards into the back of the sofa while Lan Zhan reached for the bottle. As Wei Ying tumbled over the sofa, he ended up reaching out for Lan Zhan to balance himself but inevitably pulled him down with him. They landed with a thud on the sofa. Lan Zhan’s body pressed into Wei Ying’s.

Wei Ying opened his eyes to see Lan Zhan’s face inches away from his own, staring down at him. Lan Zhan’s gaze travelled to Wei Ying’s lips and then back to Wei Ying’s eyes. Realisation dawned on Wei Ying. Oh.

“Hey, Lan Zhan?” Wei Ying said softly.

Lan Zhan’s eyes widened and darted away from Wei Ying’s gaze; he looked like a deer in the headlights. He made to get off Wei Ying, but Wei Ying wrapped his arms around Lan Zhan’s neck before he could. Lan Zhan stilled and looked at him.

“Can I kiss you?” Wei Ying said.

Lan Zhan’s eyes lit up as he didn’t even spare the question a second of thought and immediately closed the gap between them, pressing his lips to Wei Ying’s. I’ll take that as a yes, Wei Ying thought as he parted his lips and let Lan Zhan in. Lan Zhan did not hold back. In Wei Ying’s imagination (because yes, he might have fantasised about this once or twice) Lan Zhan kissed the way he did everything; that is, with precision and care. The real life Lan Zhan, though, was so much better than he could’ve imagined. Sure it was a bit clumsy at times, but boy was the enthusiasm there. And Wei Ying gave just as much as he got.

Lan Zhan pulled back. “This isn’t a tactic to get alcohol by me, is it?” he said.

Wei Ying laughed. “Ha! I wish I had thought of that. But no. I’ve wanted to do this since I first laid eyes on you at the coffee shop. I like you, Lan Zhan,” he said.

Lan Zhan responded by kissing him again, but only briefly before he pulled back. “I like Wei Ying. Have for a while.”

Wei Ying’s eyebrows rose. “Huh? How long are we talking? The first time I actually saw you properly was at your work!”

The tip of Lan Zhan’s ears were a lovely scarlet red. “I have seen you around campus many times. Your reputation precedes you. Wei Ying is known for his cleverness and kindness.”

It was Wei Ying’s turn to blush, only his blushing manifested in his cheeks. “Lan Zhan!” he said, pulling Lan Zhan in close to kiss him once again.

A cough interrupted them, though, and they quickly separated to sit properly on the sofa. Wei Ying looked up to see Lan Xichen, a gasping Nie Huaisang, and a grimacing Jiang Cheng.

“As heartwarming as that was to watch—” Lan Xichen started.

“I think you mean disgusting,” Jiang Cheng interrupted. Wei Ying rolled his eyes.

“— it would be better done in the privacy of your own rooms,” Lan Xichen finished.

Jiang Cheng’s eyes widened in horror. “Oh hell no! They’re not doing… that… in our dorm! Go to Lan Wangji’s for that.”

Nie Huaisang laughed from behind his fan. “Oh, Jiang Cheng. One day you will learn of the birds and the bees.”

“What did you say!?” Jiang Cheng said, turning on Nie Huaisang, face fuming.

Wei Ying laughed while watching Nie Huaisang cower from Jiang Cheng’s wrath. He turned his attention to Lan Zhan, grabbing hold of his hand. “What do you think? Yours?”

Lan Zhan gave a small nod and pulled Wei Ying to his feet. Some Lan sect students stayed in the same dorms as Wei Ying as it was the old Lan building, but Lan Zhan was not one of them; he stayed in the new Lan dorms where Lan students were slowly being transferred to.

“We are going, brother,” Lan Zhan said to Lan Xichen.

Lan Xichen nodded with a smile. “Very well. We will catch up later.”

Lan Zhan nodded and he and Wei Ying grabbed their belongings — mostly Lan Zhan’s books — and made their way out of the dorm. Wei Ying just grinned at his brother and Nie Huaisang. Jiang Cheng grimaced while Nie Huaisang just blushed behind his fan.

They were greeted by the chilly night air once they arrived outside. It was dark and quiet; the cold had Wei Ying pressing himself closer to Lan Zhan. “Hey Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying said.

Lan Zhan turned to Wei Ying. “Mm?”

Wei Ying held up the paper bag with the Emperor’s Smile in it and smirked. “I think I won.”

The slightest hint of a smile appeared on Lan Zhan’s face and Wei Ying gasped. “You smiled!”

In Wei Ying’s excitement he tripped over a bump in the pavement. Lan Zhan saved him just in time but dropped one of his books as a result.

“Oh, let me get that,” Wei Ying said, but as he bent down to pick up the book he noticed a familiar drawing of a bunny had fallen out. It was the good luck charm he had drawn for Lan Zhan during his exams. He grabbed it and the book and stood, looking at Lan Zhan. “You kept it?”

Lan Zhan nodded. “Of course.”

Wei Ying grinned at him. He grabbed hold of Lan Zhan’s hand, and gave it a gentle squeeze as they carried on walking.

Lan Zhan squeezed his hand back.

The feeling of being liked was a good one. Wei Ying only hoped Lan Zhan could sense his affections for him, too.