Work Text:
Lan Zhan is running late.
He would like the place the blame squarely on Other People. His 3:00 had been twenty minutes late, and when Lan Zhan had suggested they reschedule due to lack of time, had insisted they have the meeting despite his tardiness, then had insisted they stay past 4 pm, the end of his work day and the scheduled end of the meeting, to make up for the difference. Feeling a headache blooming behind his temple, he had finally insisted at on ending the meeting at 4:30. It took him another 10 minutes to usher the client out the door- because his secretary, of course, had left on time- and by then all the almost 9-5ers were leaving the building, packing the elevator. The ensuing traffic had landed the migraine firmly in the sinuses between his eyebrows, and the jaw-clenching his brother said he habitually did while stressed had not helped the matter, as he looked disparagingly back and forth between the clock and the traffic in front of him. Then, of course, having only moved into the neighborhood the week before, he had taken the wrong turn to get to the daycare, which added another fifteen minute detour. When he finally pulled up, head pulsing, at 5:30, the parking lot is empty.
Lan Zhan breathes out his nose, steps out and locks the car. The daycare’s hours are only until 4:30, although he had been assured a couple of the staff stayed later for pickups. He had promised A-Yuan to be on time today, their first day, and it had promptly thrown that promise out window on the good graces of his client.
Bracing himself for either despondency or tears, he swallows and opens the door.
There’s no one by the door, in the pick-up waiting seats, which is where Lan Zhan had expected his son to be waiting. There, in fact, appears to be no one around, and for a brief moment of panic he wonders if A-Yuan has left on his own, when familiar laughter echoes down the hallway. He pauses for a moment, not wanting to trespass, before turning to walk down the hallway. His shoes echo on the polished linoleum in the empty hallway. He finds a room, towards the end of the hall, the door ajar and voices coming from it. Recognizing his sons, after a moment of indecision he pushes it further open.
Neither of the occupants notice him. A-Yuan is kneeling on the floor, pointing at a book, a man kneeling on the other side. He points to the picture, then up at the man expectantly. The man is slimly-built, likely of a similar age to Lan Zhan, with long hair spilling out from a bun on the top of his head. He sits back on his heels and roars in an approximation of whatever creature is on the page of the book before swooping in, hands bent in an imitation of claws, right up until the moment they meet A-Yuan’s sides and he squirms to get away in a peal of laughter, careless feet kicking the book out from between the two of them. A-Yuan giggles, breathless exhalations of ‘No! A-Yuan is not a snack!” and “Don’t eat me don’t eat me!” in between laughs as he rolls away on the ground. Something in Lan Zhan’s chest burns, tight and loose at the same time.
Halfway through another roll on the floor A-Yuan catches sight of him. The laughter cuts off with a shout of “A-Die!” His son climbs clumsily to his feet, playmate forgotten, and scurries towards him, grabbing one of his pant legs and hugging hard before Lan Zhan can kneel down to great him properly. He giggles into his leg for a moment, a tickle through the fabric, before remembering the game, then quickly spins around so Lan Zhan is between him and the man he was playing with. “A-Die, A-Die, you have to save me from the dinosaur! He’s going to eat me!!” A-Yuan giggles. Heart swelling, Lan Zhan puts a hand on the top of his head gently, stroking his play-mussed hair.
“Is that so?”
“A-Yuan, hiding behind other dinosaurs is against the rules!” The other man laughs. Lan Zhan tears his gaze away from his son to thank the aide tho had stayed with his son. His mouth is abruptly very dry.
The man’s smile is blinding, and Lan Zhan finds, embarrassingly, his breath stuttering in this chest. The man reaches up and tries to adjust some of his hair, a gesture that Lan Zhan can tell is due to fail thanks to the almost complete collapse of his hair, and manages to somehow smear the splotches of paint on his nose all the way down his cheek. His eyes are dancing silver, and Lan Zhan barely catches himself with the urge to rub the paint off with his thumb. He blinks at him dumbly for a moment before realizing he had been asked a question.
“I’m sorry?”
“I said it’s a good thing you made it, because A-Yuan sure looks like a tasty snack, doesn’t he?” The man laughs at A-Yuan protests from where he still clings to Lan Zhan’s leg, and Lan Zhan clears his throat to cover his discomfort.
“I apologize for being late.”
“Ah It’s okay. A-Yuan and I had a great time together didn’t we?” His son makes an affirmative noise and the man laughs again. “Good thing your dad showed up right in time to save you from the dinosaur huh?”
A-Yuan giggles against his leg, hiding his face, suddenly shy. Lan Zhan nudges him gently. “A-Yuan. What do you say?”
“Thank you for playing with me,” his son says, his face not re-emerging from the place where it is smushed up against the back of Lan Zhan’s dress trousers. “Can we go home now, A-die?”
“Mn.” Lan Zhan strokes A-Yuan’s head again before turning his attention back to the aide. “Thank you, again.”
“No problem, Mr. Lan. Get home safely. I’ll lock up.”
Lan Zhan nods and bends down, gently pushing A-Yuan away a little so he can hoist him up. At four and a half he’s getting a little big to be carried around, but Lan Zhan will never find it a hardship. A-Yuan grabs the front of his shirt, then waves at the aide. “Bye Mr Wei.”
Mr. Wei smiles at him and waves. “Bye, A-Yuan. We’ll see you tomorrow, okay? Be good for your A-Die.”
“Mn,” he says, in such a close approximation of Lan Zhan’s own tone sometimes he huffs out a laugh. When he looks at him, the Aide’s face is soft watching them. His face is still smeared with blue and yellow paint.
“You have a little something-” Lan Zhan gestures vaguely to his own face, and the man blinks, running a hand over his nose that comes away smeared. The laugh that he emits curls strangely in Lan Zhan’s stomach.
“Ah! Would you look at that. I wonder which of the monsters got that on me. I’ll make sure I wash before I leave. Thanks, Mr. Lan.”
Lan Zhan inclines his head, shifting A-Yuan a little higher on his hip. He hesitates for only a moment then heads back towards the car. It’s already late, after all, and he still has to make dinner.
Lan Zhan isn’t sure why he has the sudden impulse to invite his son’s teacher to join them. He ignores it, bundles his son in the car, and heads home.
__________________________
It has been three years since his mother’s death.
Despite it being expected, the inevitable conclusion to a drawn-out illness, despite still having the rest of his family, despite his regular attendance at therapy and adherence to self-care practices, her death had hit him hard. Much harder than anyone else in his family. Or at least where he could see them. His uncle, stern and old-fashioned, had barely shed a tear, had instead instructed Lan Zhan to keep his composure, to act like a man. His brother’s grief, as everything else, was covered with his never-ending litany of smiles. Perhaps that wall fell when he was around his partner, Nie Mingjue, but in public, around Lan Zhan, he was composed, perfect, unruffled. Despite being perhaps a little pale, perhaps having slight bruises under his eyes, his brother held it together.
Their father, who had left years ago and started another family, had not even sent a letter of condolence.
Two days before the funeral, while clearing out their mother’s apartment, had found some of her journals. Tired and grieving, he had opened one and started to read.
By the time his uncle had come to join him, the room had fallen into twilight. He had startled when the light was flipped on, was more startled still to realize he had been crying. His uncle stood quietly on the other side of the room, next to the light switch and waited for him to compose himself. It took long minutes for him to clear his throat enough to speak.
“Is this true?”
“A-Zhan-”
“Is this true?”
His uncle had let out a frustrated breath, then nodded. “Yes.”
“Does my brother know?”
Hesitation again, for a moment. “Yes.”
Lan Zhan had abruptly stood, gathering the journals and placing them carefully in the bag he had brought with him before throwing it over his shoulder. Shaking, he had moved to push past his uncle, who had grabbed his arm, keeping him there. “She didn’t want us to tell you,” he had said, softly, his voice tinged with a regret that was unlike his uncle. “She knew you would take it very hard. You’ve always been sensitive, A-Zhan, she didn’t want-”
“Please let go of me.”
His uncle had hesitated for only a moment before doing so. “I am here if you need to talk.”
He had simply nodded, fleeing the apartment, his family, the secrets in the books.
Even now he could barely think of it. What his father had done to his mother, the reasons for his absence almost their entire lives, the reason why he had so abruptly cut ties with all of them so abundantly clear. He had forced himself through the motions, through the feelings of betrayal at his family not telling him, his uncle and brother not telling him, and had finished the rest as well as he could. The funeral arrangements, clearing out her apartment. The family obligations that came with it. Settling what little there was left to her estate.
Once it was concluded, he had quit his job, picked a city on a map, and moved.
His brother had been understanding, but hurt. His uncle had been baffled and angry. Lan Zhan had given up practicing corporate law and got a job at a firm that worked with disadvantaged families, with people fleeing family violence, poor situations, war-torn counties- disadvantages people who needed his help more than the large corporations that had spawned families like him. He helped fight for them in court, the way no one had ever fought for his mother.
It was during one of these cases that he had first met A-Yuan.
He still remembered the first time he had seen him, a small boy of almost two, clutching desperately to the social worker who had accompanied him into his off, eyes wide and confused as he looked around. Lan Zhan had adapted a small corner of his office into a play area for when some of his younger clients had to come and visit him with their guardians, and after being assured it was alright, he had settled in to play with a pile of large, brightly-coloured stacking blocks.
“Both his parents are dead. There was a fire - it was quite tragic. Apparently they were in a communal living situation, and he was living with most of his extended family. He and his grandmother survived, but she was injured carrying him out and isn’t able to care for him.”
Lan Zhan nods, watching the small boy pick up a blue block, and with the over-exaggerated care of a clumsy child place it on top of a red block, slightly askew. “There has been a problem determining custody. He has a pair of cushions on his mother’s side, siblings, who would take him in, but the older sibling is in medical school, currently doing her residency, and the younger brother’s health has always been - well. Poor. They also have an uncle who insists he will take custody of the boy, but the older cousin is quite adamant that shouldn’t be allowed. She’s confided that they were forced to live with that uncle for an extended period of time, and one of the reasons for her brother’s poor health is the abuse they suffered under his guardianship. She’s been able to produce hospital visit records that align with her versions of events. They had a public guardian, at the time, and no investigation was ever done, it looks like. The uncle is from big money.”
“He paid to cover it up, then,” Lan Zhan says softly. “What does she want use to do?”
The social worker had paused, lips pinched. “She’s not sure. She has no illusions about the foster system, and taking care of such a young child would be difficult for them.”
The boy in the corner knocks all the blocks over, a loud sound muffled by the bright foam flooring Lan Zhan has laid out in the corner for such occasions. He lets out a muffled laugh for a moment before turning his head to look at them almost nervously, and Lan Zhan’s heart thumps hard in his chest.
“I’ll take him.”
Of course, saying so had not made it simple. There had been meetings with the family, inspections of his home, questions of his sincerity and suitability. He had always wanted a family, and at almost thirty with limited success with what romantic fumblings he managed in his little free time it had felt like an easy, obvious solution to A-Yuan’s situation. He couldn’t adopt every child, of course, couldn’t help them all this way, but for this one child who’s smile made his heart beat just so, he could manage.
His uncle is against it, of course, his brother baffled but supportive. Their relationships are not what they had been, but he and his brother had come to an understanding, though his relationship with his uncle is still frosty and uncomfortable. A-Yuan had helped. His uncle had always loved children- always loved his nephews regardless of their regimented upbringing when they stayed with him, regardless of his feelings on their parents relationship- and his son had been no exception. He vividly remembered looking at his brother, Lan Huan’s eyes equally wide, when Lan Qiren had knelt down to A-Yuan and carefully introduced himself, then asked if he had any interest in animals, as he had recently acquired a book of large pictures of many different animals that he needed a bit of help reading.
The duties of fatherhood were both more and less than he had anticipated. Less, because every day he spent with this child, who after the first several months had lost any hesitation he had with his new adult, who had run up to him after their first day of daycare with a cry of “A-die!’ and wrapped his short chubby arms around his calved, because it was so easy to love him. Taking care of A-Yuan was no burden, though at times it was challenging, when his son got into a mood and wouldn’t get to bed, or the first time he had gotten sick and Lan Zhan had stayed up all night at his bedside until his cousin, Wen Qing, had come over in the morning to check on him. “He’ll be fine. He just needs rest,” she had proclaimed, before shooing Lan Zhan out of his son’s bedroom to do some resting himself.
More, because he had perhaps underestimated the effects on his time. The work he did was important, and fulfilling, but often left him working long hours that were untenable with a young child at home. Because their agency dealt with emergency cases, he was often on-call, which left him forced to rely on the help of others more than he had anticipated. He had made it clear, during the adoption, that A-Yuan would always be allowed, if he wished, to have a relationship with his family, especially the cousins who had fought to keep them from their uncle, and the grandmother who had saved him from the fire. Wen Qing, Wen Ning, and Wen-Popo had become fixtures in their lives, but Lan Zhan always felt guilty about how much he ended up leaning on them for assistance.
One night he had arrived at the Wen’s apartment in the early hours of the morning. His eyes had been blurry from exhaustion - he had been with a client for the better part of two days, a young lady with two small children who had landed in the hospital due to chronic abuse from her husband, and had had to assist her through child custody reports, police reports, charging files, restraining orders. Her children had been scared and confused, had seen what their father had done and been terrified. All he had wanted to do was go home and hug his son, grateful that thanks to his cousins A-Yuan had escaped that kind of environment.
When he had arrived, Wen Ning had been sitting in the living room with A-Yuan in his lap. Their heads had both popped up when they heard the door, and as soon as it was open A-Yuan had run to him, clinging to his legs and bursting into tears. Shocked, Lan Zhan had knelt down and carefully pulled him into his arms, placing one arm under his bottom to lift him as he stood. A-Yuan clung to him, quietly sobbing, and Lan Zhan had rubbed a hand up and down his back, murmuring quiet words of comfort. As he had started to calm he had looked at Wen Ning, sitting on the couch. His face was apologetic.
“He missed you. He was worried you wouldn’t come back for him, like his parents,” he said softly, sounding a little guilty.
And so Lan Zhan finds himself on the hunt for a new job. He finds another firm on the other side of the city, who work with similar clientele but only during daylight hours. When the courts are open, the office is open. They are not expected to attended residences or hospitals under emergency circumstances at all hours of the night, or take unexpected phone calls. The distance necessitates a move, and A-Yuan is a little teary when he has to say goodbye to his bedroom, clinging tightly to Lan Zhan’s hand with murmured promises that their next place will feel like home too. A-Yuan is soon won over by the large windows, his bigger room, and the promise that, since they own it, once everything has settled down after their move, Lan Zhan will get them the pet rabbits they’ve both always wanted.
When Lan Zhan is late, again, to the daycare the monday following the first incident, he despairs that anything settling down may be a long way off.
It’s overcast and dripping today, and Lan Zhan shields his face with his hand as he pulls open the daycare door. The bell over it tingles, but as before there’s no one in the lobby. His heart suddenly thumps for an altogether different reason, as he realizes that same aide may have waited with A-Yuan again.
Hastily shaking out his hair and coat, he toes off his shoes and proceeds down the same hallway as before. The same classroom door is pushed open, and he hesitates for a moment, knocking gently before pushing it open.
The two of them are sitting on the ground, A-Yuan curled into ‘Mr. Wei’s’ side, sleeping. Mr Wei has an arm wrapped around one of his shoulders, a book in the other. When the door opens he lowers the book to his lap, greeting Lan Zhan with that same blinding smile for a moment before it turns conspiratorial. “A-Yuan wouldn’t lie down at nap time day,” he says in a stage whisper as Lan Zhan walks over to him. It’s probably a wasted effort- Lan Zhan knows from experience that his son could sleep through the reorganization of all his bedroom furniture. “He said he was a big boy and only babies need naps.” Mr. Wei pats A-Yuan gently on the head. “Your baby is just the cutest thing, Mr. Lan.”
Lan Zhan’s chest and ears feel warm. “Mn. He is.” He crouches down next to Mr. Wei who gamely moves his arm so he can carefully grab his son and hoist him up in his arms, carefully resting his head against his shoulder. “I apologize for making you stay late again.”
He looks away from A-Yuan to the aide. His eyes are wide and Lan Zhan isn’t sure what to call his expression other than star-struck, but he quickly shakes his head and smiles. “It’s no trouble. He really is the sweetest little guy. I know you’re the only name on his file, but you could put your spouse on the list to pick him up.”
“I do not have a spouse. Or a partner,” he says, perhaps a little tersley. Many people assume this to be the case. One thing he has learned about being a single father- most people assume he’s just ‘babysitting’ for his partner. “It is just the two of us.”
“Oh!” Mr. Wei blinks. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed-” He laughs nervously, scratching the back of his head. “Sorry. Qing-jie always says I’m putting my foot it in. If that’s the case, how about we exchange numbers? You can let me know if you’re going to be late and when you get here, so you don’t have to walk all the way through the daycare again.”
Lan Zhan hesitates for a moment, taking in the beautiful man’s smile. Taking his phone number, he knows, will be purely selfish on his part, but he can’t bring himself to feel guilty. “Alright.”
One-handed, he carefully fishes his phone out of his pocket and hands it over after unlocking it. Mr. Wei quickly enters his contact info into his phone before second a message to himself, making his own phone chime on a desk somewhere on the other side of the room. He smiles blindingly again as he hands it back. “All set!”
Lan Zhan quickly looks at the contact before shoving it back in his pocket. Wei Ying. His ears heat up again and he shifts A-Yuan’s dead weight in his arms. “Thank you.”
“Of course!” Wei Ying chirps, bounding energetically past him and back towards the door. “Here, I’ll help you out with that armfull, okay?”
The text conversations with Wei Ying, at first a little stilted due to Lan Zhan’s own nervousness, after a few days turn into a day-long back and forth that only seems to stop when one of them is asleep. Sometimes even then, as he often wakes up to messages Wei Ying has sent him after he has retired for the evening.
He learns a lot about Wei Ying, but also not very much. While the Educational Assistant (Wei Ying laughs himself silly when Lan Zhan admits he doesn’t know what his actual job title is) talks a lot, very little of it is of any substance. Any time the conversation veers towards his family, Wei Ying subtly steers it away. He’s more than happy to wax poetic about the take-out place down the road from him that has been skimping on spice, send him photos of strange buildings and trees and flowers he finds interesting, and to wax poetic and at length about his students. Lan Zhan notices, of course, but doesn’t say anything about it. Their relationship is, after all, purely (mostly?) professional, although he increasingly feels like what Lan Zhan would call a friend.
Three weeks after they move, the Wen siblings are able to take enough time off from their respective studies to spend the weekend with him and A-Yuan. The area Lan Zhan has moved too is far enough from their previous residence that driving back and forth all day would be inconvenient. The two rent an Air B&B a few blocks from their home, despite Lan Zhan’s protests that they are more than welcome to stay with him for the weekend.
“We wouldn’t want to be in your hair the whole time, and this way maybe A-Yuan can have a sleepover,” Wen Ning had said gently over the phone the last time they had spoken. “Besides, we also have a friend in the area who might come over for part of the weekend. He and Jiejie can be a little much, together.”
Lan Zhan had simply hummed a confused acquiescence and ended the call. A-Yuan peals of excited screaming he sufficiently distracted him from the comment, although as his soon then proceeded to careen excitedly around the house despite Lan Zhan’s gentle admonishments about running indoor, he wished perhaps he had waited until the morning to tell him.
When he picks A-Yuan up from daycare on Friday, Wei Ying is at the front door, greeting all the parents as they come in, watching fondly the kid’s excitement to see someone come pick them up, and waving at them with his sun-bright smile to wish them a good weekend. When Lan Zhan walks in the door he brightens, waving quickly to a pair of twin girls leaving with their parents before hopping over to him. “Lan Zhan!” He makes as if to grab Lan Zhan’s wrist then catches himself, shaking his head and holding up his hands, laughing. “Sorry! Professional hazard. The kids won’t come in half the time if I’m not holding their hands. Wait right there, I’ll go get the little radish for you.”
Lan Zhan blinks, but before he has the chance to respond Wei Ying has disappeared through the door and down the hallway. He moves out of the way of the doors as another parent leaves, nodding his head in greeting, and a moment later Wei Ying appears, A-Yuan’s hand wrapped around his. The bright yellow shirt his son had insisted on wearing that morning is smeared with some kind of paint, and he has a bunny sticker in the middle of his forehead. He yells happily as soon as he sees Lan Zhan and makes a bee-line for him, abandoning Wei Ying’s hand to wrap his arms around his father’s calf. Lan Zhan strokes the top of his head in greeting. “Hello, A-Yuan. Did you have a good day?”
“I am not A-Yuan!” the four year old promptly pulls away from him, tilting his head upward and pointing at the sticker in the middle of his forehead. “I’m a bunny!”
“Ah.” Kneeling down to get a better look, he carefully examines the sticker. It’s a simple, white, cartoonish bunny with large eyes and teeth. “What kind of bunny are you?” In preparation for the inevitability of pets in their household, their bed-time book this week had been one on rabbit care, which included, large, adorable photos of some of the different breeds of rabbits.
“I’m lionhead!” A-Yuan’s hands went to his head, and he ran them violently through his hair, trying to make it look like some kind of approximation of a lion-head mane. “A big fluffy lion head! And my favorite treat is ice cream!”
Lan Zhan cocks his head to the side. “Do rabbits eat ice cream?”
“Um.” He pauses, looking back and forth between Wei Ying and Lan Zhan, eyes wide. “No…. They’re he…. Herbiviniousses!”
“Herbivores?” Lan Zhan gently corrects. A-Yuan nods emphatically and runs back towards Wei Ying, grabbing his hand again.
“Wei-Laoshi, Wei-Laoshi! We’re going to get bunnies! They’ll be herbivinousses, just like me! With big heads and cute ears! I’ll hop around with them and well all be bunnies! You’ll come see them when they come home with us, right?”
Wei Ying is clearly stifling his laughter behind the hand that A-Yuan has not gripped on to, but he nods. “If it’s alright with your father I’d love to see all the other-”
“Herbiviniousses!”
“Right. All the other bunnies when they come home with you.” A-Yuan cheers then runs back to Lan Zhan, clinging to his leg again and mumbling excitedly into his pants about the bunnies.
“Ah, Lan Zhan, you’re lucky you’re such a great parent or someone would scoop that radish right up.” Wei Ying’s smile is so blinding that Lan Zhan’s ears heat up. “Are you getting bunnies this weekend?”
“No, not this weekend. We have family coming to visit this weekend that A-Yuan will be visiting. Isn’t that right?”
“I’m not an A-Yuan. I’m a bunny,” the little boy says petulantly against his leg.
“Alright,” Lan Zhan agrees.
“That’ll be a good weekend! I have some friends that are coming to visit too. We’re going out tonight, but I’ll get in trouble if I drink too much. One of them is a medical student and she’s always lecturing me.”
“Mn.” Lan Zhan nods, and A-Yuan grabs his hand, pulling him towards the way, hopping on one foot. “Have a good weekend, Wei Ying.”
“You too Lan Zhan! See you on monday!”
After taking A-Yuan home and feeding him dinner, it takes several hours for him to calm down from his excitement about both being a bunny and getting a bunny, and it takes several read-throughs of the Illustrated Book of Rabbits before he’s listing against Lan Zhan’s side, head dipping and eyes fluttering in an effort to stay away to see them all. Lan Zhan smiles, heart warm, and kisses his head before shifting to tuck him into bed, despite the four-and-a-half year old’s sleepy grumbles. As soon as he’s snuggled in A-Yuan is a sleep, and Lan Zhan pauses a moment, watching his gentle breathing, before standing to leave, leaving the door to his bedroom slightly cracked in case of nightmares. They’re not very common anymore, thankfully, but they still happen sometimes.
Moving to the kitchen to finish cleaning up after dinner, he pauses as his phone lights up on the counter with a notification. He picks it up, leaning one hip against the counter.
Wei Ying
Lan Zhaaaaaan how can you have a kid that’s that cute. Not fair.
Lan Zhan
I’m sure all your students are cute.
Allowing himself a smile, he texts back his agreement, then moves to put his phone on the counter. Before he can do so, it buzzes again.
Wei Ying
Well they are but not all of them are as great as yours.
And it's not fair for you to have the cutest kid and look like that.
Spare a guy.
Lan Zhan
Look like what?
Lan Zhan can hear his ears heating up as he stares at his phone, heart thumping loudly. Of course he has noticed Wei Ying - Wei Ying’s smile, the way his eyes linger on Lan Zhan, the mole on the bottom of his lip he just wants to bite- but it would be inappropriate for him to make a move on his son’s teaching assistant. The three dots pop up, then disappear, then pop up again, and Lan Zhan’s mouth is unaccountably dry.
Wei Ying
Like u just walked out of a magazine or something.
Seriously, you cant have the cutest kid, the most adorable embarrassed ears, and be - all that.
Spare a guy.
Lan Zhan stares at the texts until the screen goes dark, ears burning, then lights it up again, trying to figure out what to say. Does he reciprocate or draw the line? He so rarely sees anyone outside of occasional hookups, and never anyone that he deals with in his everyday life. If wei Ying is serious though-
He thinks of the bright flashing smile, how patient he is with A-Yuan and the other kids, and how unbearably attractive he finds that, regardless of any other features. He knows, first hand, that people can have an attractive body and a horrific personality. Wei Ying, at least the Wei Ying he has become acquainted with, has both. He licks his lips, and hears his brother’s voice in the back of his head, urging him to take more chances with himself. I know you’re a father, A-Zhan, but sometimes you need to live a little.
Lan Zhan
I’m not usually into sparing men.
Wei Ying
Fuck. Really?
Tell me more.
Lan Zhan
Mn. I prefer them tied up and begging for it. Then I usually fuck them until they can’t remember their own names.
Wei Ying
Asdfkj;ngitks
Lan Zhan blinks at his phone, unsure what that response is supposed to mean. The typing dots pop up and then disappear again for several long moments while he waits before Wei Ying finally replies again.
Wei Ying
Okay so. I know you’re like - one of my kids parents. And this is probably inappropriate but. Uh. How do I sign up? Like is there a website, or a que, or do I need to audition? I’m very talented.
I’ve been told my talent for being annoying is only surpassed by my talent for blow jobs.
Lan Zhan’s ears feel like they’re burning, but he frowns a little. There are two things in that thought he needs to make sure Wei Ying understands.
Lan Zhan
You are not annoying.
And there is no line. Most people are not interested in a single father.
Wei Ying
Well they’re stupid. I’ve seen you with A-Yuan and it is. Unfairly attractive.
Lan Zhan
LIkewise
Wei Ying
Asdjfkl;
Don’t interrupt.
If my friend’s weren’t visiting I would try to hit you up tonight. But that is how my life works.
And I’ve had too many to drive right now anyways.
Lan Zhan hesitates, a knot of tension starting in his stomach. Is Wei Ying only texting him like that because he’s drunk? That’s-
Wei Ying
I’m not like drunk-drunk before you go there I’ve only had like 2 beers.
But Qing-Jie won’t let me drive after half of one.
And my didi got in a car accident driving right after he turned 18. So I have like a pact with my siblings to not.
I am completely sober enough to tell you that you are extremely hot and I would like you to not spare me.
While tied up.
Or that I would be more than happy to demonstrate my special talent.
Lan Zhan can imagine Wei Ying doing that little eyebrow wriggle he does sometimes when he looks at him conspiratorially over Lan Yuan’s head. He licks his lips unconsciously, imagining Wei Ying making that face at him on his knees before he grabbed the back of his head and made him choke on his cock. How pretty Wei Ying would look, lips dark and red, eyes tearing up.
These are probably not appropriate thoughts to have about his son’s teaching aide. The uncomfortable tightness in his pants doesn’t care.
Lan Zhan
I may look forward to either.
Or both.
There is another pause.
Wei Ying
Ah, Lan Zhan. Now I’m in an embarrassing state sitting here on the couch and I’m not going to be able to get up for a while.
Take responsibility.
Lan Zhan
Mn. I will.
If Wei Ying is good I will take responsibility.
Good night, Wei Ying.
Wei Ying
Asdhfklfdsaif
Good night, Lan Zhan
It’s later than usual when they finally make it to the Wens the next morning, the perfect storm of late buses, a cranky child and Lan Zhan rising later than usual due to staying up too late to text with Wei Ying. Wen Ning assures him over text that it is no trouble, and that they have a friend who stayed over the night before who is still sleeping anyways, but his stomach roiling anxiously over the change to their routine when they’re finally buzzed into the building the Wens have rented a place in for the weekend. A-Yuan is practically hopping with excitement, chattering emphatically about all the things he wants to tell his aunt and uncle at such a speed that Lan Zhan almost can’t keep up.
Wen Ning opens the door as soon as they knock, smiling brightly when A-Yuan shouts his name and jumps at him, laughing. Wen Ning deftly scoops him up, carrying Lan Zhan’s chattering son into the apartment, leaving the door open for him to follow.
The apartment is small but well kept, suitable for such a short stay. He carefully closes the door before toeing off his shoes as his son regales his uncle of everything he’s missing since they moved away. Wen Ning nods gamely, though Lan Zhan isn’t sure he’s keeping up with the completely non-linear path of A-Yuan’s chatter. Wen Qing appears beside her brother, hair braided down one side and still wearing pajamas.
A-Yuan squeals and holds out his arms, and the Wen siblings trade off, Wen Ning moving to lock the door behind Lan Zhan and Wen Qing smiling and cooing at her cousin, holding him on her hip although he’s really getting to be too big for such treatment.
“It’s good to see you, Lan Zhan,” Wen Ning says, flashing him his familiar shy smile. “Can I get you some tea? Or-“
“Mn. Tea would be nice. You are looking well.” It’s true. Wen Ning has more colour, his cheeks a healthier flush than the last time he had seen him, and he flushes further at the compliment, demurring before ducking into the kitchen. Lan Zhan moves to follow him before there’s a loud groan on the couch, a long brown number facing away from the front door, towards large windows covered by still-drawn curtains and a small living room with modest furnishings and a small TV.
There’s some kind of mumbled grumbling and a hand appears over the side of the couch. A-Yuan looks curiously over Wen Qing’s shoulder, glancing back at Lan Zhan as if he knows what’s going on.
“I told you last night our cousin and his dad were coming over, and that they were early risers, and that they would be here well before noon. Don’t complain to me.”
“Qing-Jie, you couldn’t have at least woken me up so I could make myself presentable before they got-“ the person sit’s up, and Lan Zhan is abruptly treated to the sight of Wei Ying, sleep ruffled and soft, hair askew and eyes blinking blearily before they go wide in surprise. “-here.”
Lan Zhan swallows, his mouth suddenly dry, and A-Yuan gasps loudly. “Wei-Laoshi?!”
He squirms in Wen Qing’s arms until he’s put down then runs around the other side of the couch to jump on Wei Ying, who is still staring at Lan Zhan, eyes wide and pink lips slightly parted. It reminds him, vividly, of other suggested options of what he can do with his mouth.
It’s lucky they have to turn away from each other for Wei Ying to pay attention to A-Yuan. “What’s this?! Why is there a radish in Qing-Jie’s apartment?”
Lan Zhan glances at Wen Qing, who is frowning- in confusion, not concern. “You two know each other?”
“Mn. Wei Ying is a teaching aide at A-Yuan’s daycare. He is very accommodating if I am not able to get there on time due to work.”
“Yeah! A-Yuan and I play fun things like dinosaurs and weird animals. Right? What kind of animal are you today?” Wei Ying asks, tickling A-Yuan’s sides to make him giggle.
“I’m not an animal today I’m a boy!” His son squirms out of Wei Ying’s grasp and runs back around the couch to hug Wen Qing’s legs. “We’re gonna do boy things today with Aunt and uncle! I can’t do them if I’m a bunny!”
“Right! Boy things.”
Wen Ning emerges from the kitchen, holding a small tray with a pot and a collection of well-loved, mismatched mugs which he sets on the table. Without looking at Wei Ying, he starts to pour tea for them. “Wei-ge, there’s coffee in the kitchen.”
“You are my favorite, Wen Ning.” Wei Ying hops off the couch and makes a beeline for the kitchen, and Lan Zhan is treated to the sight of him in grey sweats and a worn out t-shirt before he ducks into the kitchen. Wei Ying briefly makes eye contact with him, and Lan Zhan gets the impression of pink dusting his cheekbones before he disappears..
He accepts a cup of tea from Wen Ning and settles at the kitchen table, Wen Qing coming to join him as her brother goes to play with A-Yuan. Wei Ying joins them a moment later, plunking down in a chair with a strong-smelling cup of coffee. He takes a long drink from it then rubs his face, clearly trying to wake up still.
It’s adorable.
“Mngh. How did I not know that A-Yuan was the little cousin you were coming to visit?”
“We changed his name during the adoption process,” Lan Zhan says quietly, taking a sip of his tea. “I would have left it as Wen Yuan, but-“
“But we insisted. We have a good friend who was adopted and wasn’t given the family name. It was used as a way to make them feel like an outsider. We didn’t want that for A-Yuan. He will always know who his family is, but we don’t want him to doubt that he belongs where he is and that he is loved there, either.” Wen Qing’s tone is more aggressive than Lan Zhan thinks the explanation demands, and she pointedly doesn’t look at Wei Ying.
Wei Ying who swallows thickly and looks down at the mug in front of him. “Oh.”
“He can change it when he is older if he wants. He has no responsibility to keep my family name, and I will not be upset if he wants to remember his birth family in that way. But we decided it was easier, this way, while he is young,” Lan Zhan adds quietly, glancing towards the living room where Wen NIng is sitting on the floor with the child in question.
“We couldn’t have kept him anyways, not and be fair to him. YOu know what it was like around the time his parents died. We were blessed that Lan Zhan wanted to take him in and let us have a relationship with him. Many other adoptive parents wouldn’t have wanted that.”
Lan Zhan glances down at his tea, and then at his son. “I believe I am the lucky one.”
Wei Ying makes a distressed noise and when Lan Zhan glances back to him his face his hidden in his hands. “Come on you can’t do that, it’s not fair!”
“What?”
Wen Qing glances between them, her gaze suddenly sharp, lips twisting up in a grin Lan Zhan would almost describe as predatory. “Say, Ying-di, didn’t you say you were texting with one of your students parents last night? Very intently?”
Wei Ying suddenly emerges from behind his hands. “Qing-jie-“
“ ‘Is it inappropriate to hit on your student’s dad, Qing-jie?’ ‘What if he says no? How am I supposed to look him in the face the next time he picks his kid up after rejecting me?’ And then you suddenly had to run to the bathroom-“
Wei YIng whines and Lan Zhan can feel his ears heating up. “Qing-jie, mercy, you-“
“Oh no, after you spent so long last night waxing poetic about your potential love interest, about his jawline and his eyes and how he looks mean in exactly the right way, Qing-Jie, which is, frankly, more than I ever need to know, I don’t think I will.”
Wei Ying groans and hides his head in his hand as Lan Zhan stares at him, his own ears heating up. Looks mean in exactly the right way , he mouths quietly to himself and Wen Qing takes a sip of her tea, looking quite smug.
When she sets it gently down on the table, turning towards Lan Zhan, he has a sudden concern for his own well-being. “I suppose single parents don’t have a lot of time for dating.”
Lan Zhan blinks at her, unsure how to respond. “Mn.”
“Especially lawyers. Who moved to be able to take better care of their child. And don’t have family in the area. I imagine it’s very difficult for them to date. Or have much time alone.”
“Mn.” Lan Zhan agrees again, not sure where this is going.
“A-Yuan,” she says suddenly, raising her voice. “How would you feel about going to the zoo today with only your aunt and uncle? And having a sleepover tonight?”
“A sleepover?!” A-Yuan comes over, diverted from whatever Wen Ning had been entertaining him with by the question. “Really? I can really?” He looks at Lan Zhan with wide, excited eyes, and Lan Zhan, still not sure where this is going, looks back at Wen Qing.
“You bet you can. And maybe your baba can find someone to go out on a date with. Tonight. While you stay with us.” She raises his eyebrows at him, and Lan Zhan’s ears are suddenly very, very warm.
“Oh.”
“Qing-Jie!” Wei Ying hisses. Lan Zhan’s eyes snap to him, his face completely red, and hair still rumpled. “You can’t pressure him into-”
“I would like to,” Lan Zhan interrupt him, and Wei Ying’s eyes snap to his, mouth opening in a silent oh . “Unless you have changed your mind.”
Wei Ying’s mouth snaps shut and he visibly swallows, if possible turning more red. “N-no. I haven’t.”
Taking a chance Lan Zhan leans towards him, pitching his voice low enough A-Yuan won’t be able to hear. “Do you want to be a good boy?” Wei Ying makes a strangled noise Lan Zhan takes as agreement. “Then why don’t you get dressed and then we can see about getting you what you wanted?”
Both Wei Ying and Wen Qing abruptly stand. “A-Ning, get dressed we’re leaving.” Wen Ning, who had disappeared into the kitchen with the used cups, A-Yuan trailing along behind him, sticks his head out and blinks at them stoically, glancing between Wei Ying and Lan Zhan before smiling.
“Have fun, ge.”
Wei Ying makes a teakettle sound and disappears into the bathroom.
A-Yuan comes over to him and starts asking questions, excited to go to the zoo but confused but concerned about leaving him behind. The Wen siblings disappear to get ready.
“You won’t come with us?”
A-Yuan’s crocodile eyes are difficult to deal with in the wake of Wen Qing’s sudden, impromptu decision, which is a departure from their original plans.
“A-Yuan. Do you remember last week when you were very tired after daycare? Do you remember what you wanted then?”
His son appears to think, pursing his lips thoughtfully. A week ago is a long time in the life of a 4 and a half year old, after all.
“Um. I didn’t want people?”
“Right. If you don’t want to be around people, what do you want?”
“To be by myself?”
Lan Zhan smiles at him encouragingly. “Right. And sometimes you think adults are boring, and would rather play with other children, right?”
The little boy nods enthusiastically. “Right!”
“So, sometimes adults need a little bit of time with other adults. So Baba is going to play with Wei-Laoshi today, while you go with your aunt and uncle to the zoo.”
A-Yuan nods but deflates a little. “Oh. Okay.”
“A-Yuan? What is it?” A-Yuan just shakes his head and refuses to look at him, so Lan Zhan slides out of the chair to sit in lotus pose on the floor, gently taking his son’s hand. “A-Yuan. We said we would talk about what we were feeling, right?”
The promise had been necessary about a year after the adoption had gone through. Though he was so young, sometimes he would remember his life before, and would become withdrawn. Promising to tell each other how they felt had been a way to get him to open up, although Lan Zhan is always careful to keep his feelings to something a young child will be able to understand. It had been difficult to explain to him why they didn’t see Lan Xichen or Lan Qiren more, without explaining things Lan Yuan didn’t need to know, and that Lan Zhan didn’t want him to understand.
In the end. A-Yuan had mostly been afraid of being left behind again. Today is not any different.
A-Yuan hesitates for a moment before blinking at him, little face serious. “Baba will come back for me, right? He won’t leave me behind?”
Lan Zhan lets out a breath and opens his arms. A-Yuan carefully steps over his legs and hugs him, hiding his face in Lan Zhan’s nape. Lan Zhan’s family had never been physically affectionate with him, and he had promised himself he would never do the same with his son.
He kisses the top of his head, running a hand up his back. “No, A-Yuan. I won’t leave you behind. Never. If you don’t want to have a sleepover with your aunt and uncle, you can come home after you go to the zoo. Does that sound okay?”
A-Yuan squirms in his grip. “I… don’t know.”
“You don’t have to decide now. If you have a good day and want to stay with them, that is fine. If you would rather come home afterwards, that is also fine. Home with still be there for you tomorrow if you stay with them tonight. So will I.” Lan Zhan makes sure his tone is gentle and confident. That it doesn’t give away how much he wished he could fix this one insecurity for his son, though he knows the only way to do it is patience and time.
A door opens down the hallway and Wen Qing steps down the hall, her slippers tapping lightly on the hardwood. When she reaches them she squats down beside them, holding out a hand to her cousin. She’s changed into a red sweater with dark jeans, hair tied in a high pony tail.
“Ready to go, A-Yuan?’ He hesitates for a moment before taking her hand, letting himself be led away from Lan Zhan. He glances back at his father, who gives him an encouraging smile, and allows himself to be led to the door. Wen Ning quickly appears to join them.
Lan Zhan rises off the floor and dusts non-existent fluff off his pants before turning. Wei Ying is standing next to the bathroom door, hair slightly damp from a shower, skin flushed, watching him. His eyes are very dark, lips slightly parted again.
Lan Zhan wants to take advantage.
Instead he turns towards the door, making sure A-Yuan has no trouble getting his shoes on. Wen Ning opens the door and he hesitates for a moment before running back to Lan Zhan, hugging his leg tightly. Lan Zhan rests a hand lightly on his head.
“Love you baba bye!” He shouts, louder than necessary, before pulling away energetically and rushing back towards the door, grabbing one cousin in each hand. He pulls them out the doorway, and the door closes loudly with a resounding thud.
He is alone with Wei Ying.
He turns towards the other man, and their eyes meet for one, long, breathless moment before they both move. He has an armful of Wei Ying, or Wei Ying has an armful of him, he’s not sure, but Wei Ying has both hands cupping his face as he kisses him, and Lan Zhan’s arms wrap around him, one around his waist, the other groping the beautiful globes of his ass, hard.
Wei Ying gasps into the kiss, nipping his bottom lip as he pulls away from him, breathing heavy.
“Fuck, that should not be so attractive. I work with kids all day, that should not be so attractive.”
Lan Zhan moves both hands down, kneading both clothed cheeks, and lowers his hear to nip along Wei Ying’s jawline, teeth scraping just below his ear. “What’s so attractive, Wei Ying?”
Wei Ying curses and ruts up onto his hip, tilting his head to give Lan Zhan better access. “You’re just so good with him. I bet you’re good with any kids. You’re so confident and gentle with them. It’s so- I wish-”
Lan Zhan bites down on his collar bone hard enough to make a mark where the t-shirt he put on after his shower has shifted, and Wei Ying whines. “Wish what?”
“Ah- ah Lan Zhan are you a bitey beast?” Lan Zhan bites him again, earning himself another breathless whine followed by a laugh. “Fuck yes. Cover me mark me make me look like yours come on-”
“Wei Ying.” Lan Zhan stops, pulling away from his neck to look him in the face. Wei Ying is flushed and panting already, though they’re both clothed and standing in the hallway, his pupils blown. Lan Zhan is helpless but to kiss him about it. When they part, he murmurs lowly, hot breath ghosting over Wei Ying’s lips. “Wish what?”
“Wanna blow you about it,” Wei Ying says breathlessly, licking his lips. “Wanna make you feel as good as it feels to watch you, wanna have your cock in my throat and have you be firm with me, I wanna feel it. Wanna make you cum, Lan Zhan.”
Lan Zhan makes a hum of interest, purposely grinding his crotch into Wei Ying’s hip so he can feel him. Wei Ying gasps, and his eyelids flutter. “Oh fuck you’re so big. Wow.”
“Here or my place?”
The look on Wei Ying’s face is foggy, already clouded with arousal. He blinks. “What?’
“Here or my place? They will come back here. Or-”
Wei Ying groans and drags a hand down his face. “Ugh. Okay. Okay you’re right. Your place. If I can make it that long. But just-one thing.”
Lan Zhan raises an eyebrow, and Wei Ying swoops in to kiss him, long and lingering. When he pulls away, he takes a deep breath and smiles.
“Okay. I might make it. Let’s go, Lan Zhan.”