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Chapter Text

Wei Ying glanced down the corridor to see if Lan Zhan was coming. Once he saw a figure approaching, he hid directly behind a wall, his hands busy with a bucket of water he'd filled.

A laugh escaped Wei Ying's mouth as he waited impatiently behind the wall. When footsteps sounded right beside him, he held the bucket tightly to his chest and sprayed Lan Zhan with water when he passed by.

Suddenly, Wei Ying burst out laughing, holding his stomach as the situation was hilarious; Lan Zhan was wet from head to toe and didn't look very happy, as usual. 

"Wei Ying!" Lan Zhan exclaimed, groaning and clenching his fists.

[...]

Wei Ying, with a mischievous smile on his lips, discreetly approached Lan Zhan, who was drawing under a tree. He was holding a small frog he had found earlier and with precision, he placed it on Lan Zhan's shoulder.

Lan Zhan slowly frowned, sensing something strange. When he caught sight of the frog, he gently picked it up and placed it on the ground.

Then he turned his piercing gaze on Wei Ying.

"Wei Ying..." he said in a cold voice, his eyebrows slightly furrowed.

Wei Ying scratched his head, laughing nervously. "Ah, Lan Zhan, it was just to amuse you a little!"

Lan Zhan remained silent but the expression on his face clearly showed that he wasn't amused at all.

[…]

And another day, another joke. The mathematics class at Gusu High School was known for its calmness and rigor, especially under the guidance of Mr Han. The students listened attentively and took notes, except Wei Ying, of course.

Wei Ying was seated just behind Lan Zhan, the president of the class, who was seated in the front row. Lan Zhan's hair was neatly tied back in a low ponytail, and his back was straight, as always. Wei Ying, meanwhile, was slumped in his chair, his mischievous smile never leaving his lips.

"Always so serious, Lan Zhan…" Wei Ying murmured, leaning forward to whisper in Lan Zhan's ear.

Lan Zhan ignored Wei Ying's whispers, his eyes riveted on the board where Mr Han was writing complex equations. The youngest, refusing to be ignored, tapped Lan Zhan lightly on the shoulder with his pen.

"Lan Zhan! Did you understand what the teacher just said? I'm completely lost!" He said in a voice that was a little too loud, attracting a few glances from his classmates.

Lan Zhan clenched his jaw, visibly annoyed, but didn't turn around.

He just merely whispered, "Concentrate and listen."

Wei Ying, far from being discouraged, decided to push a little further. He tore a small piece of paper from his notebook and wrote quickly on it, before folding it into an airplane and throwing it at Lan Zhan's desk. Lan Zhan caught the paper plane in mid-air, his eyebrows furrowed in displeasure.

Before Lan Zhan could react, Mr Han turned abruptly, having finally noticed the movement.

"Wei Ying! Lan Zhan! What's going on here?" He thundered.

Wei Ying flashed an innocent smile while Lan Zhan blushed slightly in frustration.

"Nothing at all, Sir," Wei Ying replied with an air of false innocence.

Mr Han squinted, visibly skeptical.

"Wei Ying, you seem to have a very different definition of the word 'nothing'. And you, Lan Zhan, I'm surprised to see you involved in this distraction."

Lan Zhan opened his mouth to protest, but Wei Ying intervened before he could speak.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Han. It's all my fault! I was just asking Lan Zhan to help me with the math problem."

The professor sighed. "I'm tired of your constant interruptions, Wei Ying. You need to learn to respect your classmate’s learning environment!" 

Wei Ying had a pout on his face: he was used to always being reprimanded, but it wasn't his fault, was it? He just wanted to have a little fun! 

"Well," declared Professor Han. "Since you have so much energy to expend, you'll spend an hour in detention after class. Both of you. Maybe a little time together will help you understand the importance of concentration and mutual respect!"

Lan Zhan inhaled deeply, trying to remain calm. Wei Ying, for his part, simply shrugged with an amused smile.

"As you wish, Mr. Han," he said nonchalantly.

The rest of the class passed in tense silence. Wei Ying stopped his teasing but it was clear from his glances at Lan Zhan that he found the situation entertaining.

Lan Zhan, on the other hand, was trying to concentrate on the class, but his thoughts kept returning to the hour of detention they would have to share… He hated Wei Ying even more at this moment. 

When the bell announcing the end of classes rang, Wei Ying got up enthusiastically, while Lan Zhan took his time putting his things away, hoping that detention wouldn't be as painful as he'd imagined.

"Come on, Lan Zhan, don't take all your time," Wei Ying tossed an arm around his shoulders. "We've got an hour of detention to spend together. It's going to be fun!" 

Wei Ying expected to be ignored once again, but to his greatest surprise, Lan Zhan grabbed his wrist and squeezed it in his hand, the dark look in his eyes making Wei Ying shiver strangely.

"Do not touch me. Understand?" As he said this, he didn't take his eyes off the man for a few seconds, as if to warn him.

And with that, Lan Zhan abruptly let go of him and continued his walk down the long corridors of their establishment.

Wei Ying for his part frowned as he gently massaged his wrist, "Pfft, why is he so mean to me?!" He wondered before running to catch up with his classmate. 

They finally made their way to the detention room, where a teacher was already waiting for them.

"Settle down," the teacher ordered without looking up from his paper. "Not a sound, and no distractions."

Wei Ying chose a seat by the window, and Lan Zhan reluctantly sat down next to him.

Silence fell over the room, disturbed only by the sound of paper and the scratching of pens. After a few minutes, Wei Ying couldn't help breaking the silence. He turned slowly to his classmate and saw him still concentrating on his homework, his eyes riveted on it. A small smile appeared at the corner of his lips as he gently approached him. 

"So, Lan Zhan," he whispered. "What do you think of this little hour of detention?" He finally asked, moving his eyebrows up and down knowing full well that it was because of him that they were there. 

Lan Zhan looked up from his notebook, his expression impassive.

He finally sighed in despair before answering, "It's a waste of time."

Wei Ying smiled brightly. Lan Zhan was finally talking to him! So he took advantage of the situation and moved a little closer to his classmate, excited. But the latter raised an eyebrow and didn't hesitate to push his chair a little further away from Wei Ying.

He pouted, but didn't give up yet.

"I think it's a good opportunity to get to know you better. You're always so serious! Don't you ever feel like having a little fun?" He asked in an amused tone. 

Lan Zhan sighed and turned to him, "It's not a question of wanting to have fun or not. It's a matter of knowing when it's appropriate to do."

Wei Ying raised his eyebrows, puzzled.

"Oh, really? And when do you think it's appropriate to have fun, then?"

"Not during class, nor during the times when we have to work."

Wei Ying suddenly burst out laughing, drawing a reproachful look from the teacher. He jumped back in his chair and sat up properly, pretending to work, but when the teacher took his eyes off him, he turned back to his classmate. 

"You really are an open book, Lan Zhan. But maybe this hour of detention will teach us something useful…" 

Lan Zhan sighed again, looking away to concentrate once more on his work. Wei Ying, however, continued to stare, his mind bubbling with new ideas to pass the time but above all: to annoy Lan Zhan. 

But he decided to leave him alone for the time being and concentrated on his work for once.

Needless to say, he understood nothing of the work he'd been given and the only thing he wanted was to sleep. But he forced himself to stay awake and wrote down what he knew on his paper. 

After a few yawns, a few grunts of annoyance and a change of position on his uncomfortable chair, Wei Ying took his eyes off his work and glanced at the clock: he'd been working for 20 minutes and had honestly had enough.

He turned his gaze to Lan Zhan and was about to say something when he noticed that the latter had his head between his arms, which were resting on his table, and was sleeping peacefully. His homework paper lay beside him and, glancing at it, Wei Ying noticed that he had answered absolutely every question. A pout appeared on his face: he couldn't even answer a question in 20 minutes and he answered them all in that time?!

Wei Ying chuckled and desperately shook his head. Lan Zhan was truly impressive. 

Thinking about this, he couldn't take his eyes off the face of his classmate who continued to sleep, his mouth slightly open. His face was turned towards Wei Ying, giving him the opportunity to admire him a little more... Wait what, admire him?! He suddenly shook his head, his cheeks flushed. 

To stop his uncontrollable thoughts, Wei Ying suddenly had an idea that would surprise Lan Zhan when he will wake up.

He smirked and glanced at the teacher who was watching them, and when he noticed that he wasn't looking, he intentionally dropped his pen on the floor and bent down under Lan Zhan's chair to pick it up. 

But before doing so, Wei Ying undid the laces on Lan Zhan's shoes and tied them together. Once he finished doing what he had to do, he settled back in his chair, a devilish grin on his lips. Now, Lan Zhan just had to wake up!

And to make his joke even better, the professor who was watching them checked the clock and after glancing at the two students, allowed himself to leave the room when he saw that they were behaving.

"Fuck, is he a paid actor or what?!" Wei Ying exclaimed inwardly. But he wasn't going to complain: it would save him being scolded by an adult, Lan Zhan alone was enough for him!

"Hey Lan Zhan," Wei Ying finally murmured, gently shaking his classmate's shoulder, "Wake up, a teacher called you down the hall." 

Lan Zhan didn't seem to wake up, and Wei Ying almost felt bad about having to wake him from his nap, which strangely, he seemed to need.

"Lan Zhaaaaan, wake up!" He exclaimed again, this time unconsciously plunging his hand into the other man's hair. 

Wei Ying stopped in his tracks as he realized. But it wasn't his action that had stopped him, it was rather his hand touching his classmate's soft hair. He didn't have time to think any further as Lan Zhan suddenly woke up, sending Wei Ying's hand away from him.

"Wei Ying, I swear–"  He began, his gaze enraged.

"No listen to me !" Wei Ying quickly cut him off, shaking his hands in front of him, "I was only trying to wake you up! A teacher called you and being the good classmate I am, I just tried to wake you up!"

Lan Zhan looked at him for a few seconds before rolling his eyes and finally standing up. Wei Ying waited impatiently for the moment when he would try to take a step, and when he did, he burst out laughing as Lan Zhan fell to the ground with a loud thud. 

"Oh my– Lan Zhan, are you all right ?!" He asked in an amused, innocent tone, his laughter continuing to echo around the room.  

He found it so funny that he had to put a hand on his stomach and continue laughing, his breath almost coming in shortness. 

"You should have seen your fall, fuck, it was so iconic!" He continued between laughs. 

Lan Zhan clenched his fists tightly and when he realized that his shoelaces were in fact tied together, a wave of anger swept over him. He quickly untied them and despite the pain he felt in his right foot, he stood up, leaning against the table, and in a cold, threatening voice uttered the name of the one who wasn't making life easy for him, "Wei Wuxian!"

Needless to say that this tone immediately made Wei Ying stop laughing, and he suddenly felt chills run through his body: had he exceeded Lan Zhan's limits this time? And he soon got his answer when Lan Zhan suddenly grabbed him by the collar, fuming with anger. 

"Aha Lan Zhan, don’t need to look at me like that–" 

"Wei fucking Ying," Lan Zhan muttered through gritted teeth, "When are you going to understand?" 

Wei Ying tried to, but once he thought about it, he still didn't understand so in the most innocent voice he could use, he replied, "Understand… what?" 

"That one day, the answer to your fucking jokes will surprise you." 

"W-What do you mean?"

If Wei Ying was disruptive and very unintimidating, at Lan Zhan's side he was quite the opposite. He could feel his cold, dark gaze piercing through him, and he'd be lying if he said he wasn't indifferent. 

"You still don't understand?" A mocking laugh escaped his lips, "And just like that, you understand?" 

As he said this, he abruptly pulled Wei Ying's collar towards him, bringing their faces a little too close together. To tell the truth, Wei Ying was surprised. Very surprised. Of all the jokes he'd played on Lan Zhan, he'd never reacted so violently. Well, he wouldn’t react at all in the first place. 

Being seated with Lan Zhan standing, leaning over him, Wei Ying tried his best to back away, but he'd end up falling off his chair so he didn't dare move and continued to watch his classmate who was, honestly, beginning to scare him.

"Lan Zhan... I'm sorry okay? Next time, my joke won't be so–" 

"Oh, because you're already thinking of your next joke?" A laugh escaped his lips, "I know that after this, you won't dare prank me again." 

Wei Ying felt a shiver run down his spine as their faces grew closer and closer... Had he gone too far this time? Was Lan Zhan going to hit him? Just as he was thinking that, he watched his classmate's hand rise and expecting a punch, Wei Ying closed his eyes tightly.

"Might as well let Lan Zhan have his way this time, I’m aware that I’ve gone too far so I’m  going to let him hit me just this once." He thought.

But a few seconds later, he still felt no pain, so he slowly opened his eyes and was almost frightened to see Lan Zhan's icy gaze still fixed on him, a smirk on his lips. His heart beat wildly as he felt his proximity, their breaths mingling in the tension-laden air.

"Lan Zhan...?" he began, but didn't have time to finish his sentence.

In a flash, Lan Zhan plunged his hand behind his neck and narrowed the space between them, sealing his lips against Wei Ying's in a fierce, desperate kiss.

The shock immobilized Wei Ying, his thoughts clouded as Lan Zhan's unexpectedly soft lips explored his with all-consuming ardor. Wei Ying stirred in his chair, trying to push Lan Zhan back by the torso but his strength deserted him and he felt himself let out a gasp. Lan Zhan took the opportunity to slip his warm, soft tongue inside his classmate's mouth and explore it as he had so long dreamed of doing.

It was an intense kiss, filled with contradictory feelings. Anger, frustration, but also a hidden, almost repressed affection…

Wei Ying could never have imagined such a moment between them, especially not from Lan Zhan who had always scolded him and ignored him. But at this very moment, he couldn't deny the obvious; this gesture was far from being that of a hater.

"Mmh… L..Lan Zhan–" 

Wei Ying sighed between kisses, but Lanzhan's lips coming to rest – again – on his prevented him from finishing his sentence.  

The intensity of the kiss was unsettling, almost suffocating. Lan Zhan's lips were pressing, overflowing with passion, as if he was trying to express everything he'd never been able to say. Every second seemed to burn Wei Ying, his heart beating rapidly. It was a powerful kiss, charged with an emotion so strong it was disconcerting, as if Lan Zhan was trying to engrave this moment in both their memories…

"Oh…! Lan Zhan, let me breath–"

But once again, he was ignored by Lan Zhan who continued to savor his lips as if they were the best thing he'd ever tasted.

Lan Zhan ended the kiss as abruptly as he'd begun it, his eyes now clouded by an emotion he couldn't seem to control. Wei Ying, still in shock, remained silent, his lips burning, his breath coming in short gasps as he tried to understand what had just happened. Lan Zhan, on the other hand, slowly released his hold, his gaze darting as if he finally realizing what he'd just done.

"Lan Zhan..." breathed Wei Ying, still shaken by this unexpected kiss. 

But Lan Zhan answered nothing, simply turning around, fists clenched, leaving Wei Ying alone with his questions and that strange sensation that still warmed his heart.

"Lan Zhan!" The boy exclaimed, eyebrows furrowed, "You can't just leave after stealing my first kiss!" 

But he didn't listen and kept walking away, exiting the detention room and disappearing into the school corridors.

On Wei Ying's side, the situation was catastrophic. He felt his cheeks flush furiously as his fingers grazed his own lips, thinking back to the torrid kiss he just shared with Lan Zhan... Lan Zhan! The quiet, introverted student, the one who always ignored him, the one who never paid attention to anyone! He'd just been kissed by him! 

Wei Ying couldn’t believe it.

"Well, If bothering him means getting this kind of kiss from him, I’m going to annoy him even more!" He thought to himself as a smile was on his lips, still swollen and red. 

•••

The next morning, Wei Ying was sitting at his usual table in the classroom, but this time his mind wasn't on lessons or the usual pranks he liked to play. No, today, all he could think about was Lan Zhan and that intense kiss they shared. He could still feel Lan Zhan's lips on his, a memory too good to ignore. Yet for all the excitement bubbling up inside him, a part of him was frustrated, almost annoyed. 

Lan Zhan hadn't even bothered to explain his gesture, and worse, he simply left him without a word! He couldn't believe it! 

Wei Ying scanned the classroom, looking for Lan Zhan's familiar silhouette. He was usually one of the first to arrive, always seated at his desk, immersed in his studies. But today, his place was empty which made Wei Ying even more worried. He couldn't help wondering how Lan Zhan felt after their kiss - was he as confused as he was? Or didn't he care? 

When the bell finally rang, signaling the start of class, Lan Zhan appeared, as serious as ever, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened the day before. Wei Ying immediately straightened up, ready to say a remark at him, but his heart clenched strangely at the sight of Lan Zhan paying him no attention. He simply settled into his seat, took out his things, and completely ignored Wei Ying.

Honestly, it wasn’t surprising since he always ignored Wei Ying, but this time, with what happened between them, Wei Ying hoped that he will at least explain himself. But no. Nothing. 

But as always, he didn’t gave up here.

"Lan Zhan! I know you can hear me. Can you at least turn around?" He murmured, a pout on his face but Lan Zhan still remained indifferent. 

This indifference made Wei Ying feel almost sad. He couldn't believe that Lan Zhan, after such a passionate kiss, would act as if nothing had happened. He knew that he'd gone too far, but this was the kind of prank he usually pulled on Lan Zhan and he'd never reacted like this before so he was pretty lost. 

Determined to get his attention, Wei Ying leaned forward, a mischievous grin forming on his face.

"Lan Zhan," he whispered, loud enough for the man to hear. "It's not nice to ignore me after kissing me, you know."

Lan Zhan didn't reply, his eyes glued to his notebook. Wei Ying frowned again, unhappy by his indifference. 

Unfortunately for him, being far too distracted by Lan Zhan, he didn't notice the teacher enter the classroom. He didn't notice his other classmates quickly returning to their seats; he was far too busy attracting Lan Zhan's attention that he didn't notice all these details. 

And if that wasn't enough, the teacher was the same one who had put him in detention with Lan Zhan the other day.

"Lan Zhan! Don't-" 

"Wei Wuxian." 

Wei Ying jumped in his chair and almost fell over as he was leaning forward towards Lan Zhan. Laughter could be heard in the classroom and Wei Ying felt sweat drip down his forehead as he met his teacher's strict, unhappy gaze. 

"Aha!... Mr. Han, I.. I can explain!" Wei Ying stammered, scratching the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"Explain what? You're always disrupting class! When are you going to realize that your attitude won't do you any good?" The professor replied harshly. 

"Huh actually–"

"Were you bothering Lan Wangji again today?" He asked again, eyebrow raised. "You know Wei Wuxian, you can screw up your schooling if you like, but don't bother my students who, unlike you, want to work. Understand?"

Gasps of surprise could be heard in the classroom as Wei Ying sat back in his chair, suddenly feeling uncomfortable.

"So now shut up and take notes on the class for once!"

Well... His teacher's words were harsh, but he deserved them so he wasn't going to say anything.

And for the rest of the hour, Wei Ying just had his head cradled in his arms, resting against his desk. He made no further attempt to disturb Lan Zhan. At least for now. 

When class finally ended, Wei Ying put his things away, keeping an eye on Lan Zhan who was doing the same. The class was gradually emptying out and Lan Zhan seemed to be taking his time, as if he knew Wei Ying was waiting to approach him. And when Wei Ying noticed that his classmate had finished and was heading for the door leading to the corridors, he rushed to follow him while throwing his bag over one of his shoulders. 

"Lan Zhannn!" He exclaimed, running slightly to catch up with the man. "Wait for me, you’re walking too fast!" 

But the man continued to ignore him and walked. It was at exactly that moment that Wei Ying noticed something strange. Why Lan Zhan was limping? Had he hurt himself? Wei Ying knew that Lan Zhan was part of the basketball team so he thought maybe he had an accident there while training. To make sure, Wei Ying opened his mouth again, curious. 

"Hey Lan Zhan, why are yo–" He was about to ask when he finally reached Lan Zhan's level, but the latter suddenly stopped and turned towards him.

Wei Ying felt his heart skip a beat as he met Lan Zhan's dark gaze. Since when had he felt like this in Lan Zhan's presence? This wasn't right! His heart was playing tricks on him at this point!

But little did he know, the next thing Lan Zhan will say to him will do something to his heart, yes, but not in the good way… 

"Stop following me and go piss off someone else, Wei Ying. I don't have time for your bullshit anymore." He spat as harshly as he could before resuming his walk, leaving a completely lost Wei Ying behind. 

The troublemaker stood in the middle of the corridor, stunned by the harshness of Lan Zhan's words. "I don't have time for your bullshit anymore," the words still echoed in his head, like an unbearable echo. He'd never seen Lan Zhan so angry, so cold…

"Hey Wei Ying! What the hell are you doing in the middle of the corridor?"

This voice snapped Wei Ying out of his thoughts and he turned back to the person who had just approached him. A small smile made its way to his lips when he saw Jiang Cheng, a friend who had been in his class last year. Unfortunately, they drifted apart after not being in the same class this year, but their chemistry was still there. 

"Oh… Jiang Cheng!" 

"It's been a long time. How are you?" He asked as he walked over to his friend. 

"I'm fine... How are you? I heard you made in the basketball team!"  

As they slowly began to walk together, they continued to chat, catching up on what they'd missed over the last few months. 

"What were you doing in the middle of the hallway anyway? Don't you have class?" Jiang Cheng finally asked.

Thinking back of the situation he was in, a small sigh escaped from Wei Ying. Lan Zhan had always been used to ignoring him, but why did it hurt so much now? Was it because Lan Zhan had kissed him? Did the fact that he kissed him make him feel important for a while, but now being ignored hurt him?

"Waoh, what's with that face? Did you get punished again or what?" Jiang Cheng asked with a laugh, remembering last year when Wei Ying was always punished and reprimanded by the teachers because of his behavior.

"No… It’s… something else." He admitted, shrugging. 

"Do you want to talk about it ?" 

Wei Ying hesitated for a moment but decided to seize the opportunity and talk to his friend. He had no one else to talk to about his problems and worries anyway, so might as well tell him.

"Do you know... Lan Zhan?" He asked hesitantly.

A chuckle was heard.

"What kind of question is that? Of course I know him, the question is rather who doesn't!" He replied with a laugh, "Anyway what's up with him?"

"Well... I've been pissing him off for a few months now with my pranks and everything, he wouldn't say anything and ignore me but I didn't mind..." He confesses, pursing his lips, "But yesterday I made him a really bad prank, I tied his laces together and just waited for him to get up to see him fall, but this time, he looked really mad... Normally, I didn't care, but now he's ignoring me more than before and I don't know, I feel bad... Especially since something happened… b-between us that's frustrating me enormously..." 

A silence fell between the two as Wei Ying finished his explanation. A few seconds later, Jiang Cheng stopped walking and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I don't know what happened between you two, but indeed it wasn't cool what you did to him... Especially since I'm beginning to wonder if you're the reason he's limping like that." Jiang Cheng confessed, eyebrow raised.

"What do you mean?" Wei Ying exclaimed, his eyes round.

"Well… As you know he's also on the basketball team and he hurt himself there a week ago. It was a small sprain, nothing serious, but I think that after your prank, his ankle became a little more fragile."

Wei Ying was speechless, guilt slowly eating him. Now he felt even worse than before. So it was because of him that Lan Zhan was limping like that?

"I think the best thing to do is to apologize and stop pranking him." Jiang Cheng finally said, offering him a small, comforting smile.

Apologize? Wei Ying was willing to, but Lan Zhan ignored him, so what could he do…?

•••

Evening had long since fallen, enveloping the city in a peaceful darkness. Wei Ying was alone in his room, lying on his bed. The walls of his room were filled with posters and drawings he had accumulated over the years. He was clutching an old stuffed toy, a little rabbit with weathered fur, the one he'd had since he was a child.

It was his treasure, his companion, the one who had always been there even when no one else was.

Staring at the ceiling, Wei Ying's thoughts wandered. Lan Zhan's indifference had touched him more deeply than he'd thought possible. He was used to hide his feelings behind his smile and jokes, but this mask was becoming heavier and heavier to wear. And now that he was alone, in the darkness of his room, he could no longer escape these emotions…

He thought that at least Lan Zhan would continue to put up with his jokes, and even if he ignored him a little, Lan Zhan's slightest attention made him happy. That's why he kept bothering him. But now, after that kiss that had made him feel important for a moment, Wei Ying was lost. Lan Zhan had done it for fun? He didn't care? Of course he didn't care, he just ignored him even more than before!

Wei Ying tightened his embrace around his stuffed toy, seeking comfort in the softness of the fabric against his cheek. Yet, instead of calming his mind, this simple gesture brought back memories he'd rather forget…

To tell the truth, ever since he was a child, Wei Ying had felt like a shadow in his own home. His parents were always busy, absorbed in their respective careers, and he had grown up in an icy silence where words of affection were rare, almost non-existent. He remembered all those days spent playing alone, desperately waiting for someone to pay attention to him. But the attention never came. 

He'd tried to get noticed, to be the best at school, to bring home drawings to decorate the house, to help out as much as he could, but nothing ever seemed to be enough. His achievements went unnoticed, his efforts ignored, and little by little, he had learned to live with what he had. Solitude had become a faithful companion even if it weighed heavily on his heart.

And school hadn't been a refuge either. The other kids made fun of him, finding him too strange, too different. Wei Ying tried to make friends, but his way of seeing the world, his boundless energy, all seemed to bother the others. They kept him at a distance, leaving him alone, again and again. 

That's why he bothered Lan Zhan. At first, when he'd first seen him, Wei Ying thought he was just like him: lonely and friendless. But as time went by, he realized that no, Lan Zhan was different from him. But that wasn't what had stopped him and he started pranking him just to get his attention, to have a friend...

Because yes, Lan Zhan interested him, so much that he couldn't stop with his jokes because they were the only time Lan Zhan paid him attention. And even if the only thing he did was get angry, for Wei Ying that was enough. More than enough.

Those memories came back to haunt him that evening, and without him being able to help it, the tears began to roll down his cheeks. At first silent then stronger, like a torrent he could no longer hold back. He buried his face against his stuffed toy, his body shaken by uncontrollable sobs.

"Why..." Wei Ying murmured between sobs, "Why do I always feel so alone..." 

There was no one to hear him, no one to tell him everything would be all right.

Wei Ying cried for a long time, releasing everything he buried deep inside. He cried for the little boy who never had the chance to feel loved, for the teenager he'd become.

And at that moment, he wished he had someone by his side to hug him and tell him he loved him. 

The sobbing finally stopped after a while. Wei Ying lay there, his eyes red and his face wet, still clinging to his stuffed toy. He honestly felt exhausted and pathetic. 

And as he drifted off to sleep, a thought crossed his mind: he hoped that one day he will find someone who would have time for him. Someone who would love him for who he was.

But for now, that dream remained impossible.

•••

Wei Ying awoke the next morning with an heaviness in his chest. It had been a long night and his cheeks were still wet with tears. He dragged himself out of bed, glanced at his reflection in the mirror and sighed. His eyes were red and puffy and the dark circles under his eyelids showed of much of a shitty night he had. But unfortunately, he had no choice: he had to go to class. 

As he walked to school, his thoughts turned to Lan Zhan. Lan Zhan. Just thinking about him made his heart beat faster in his chest. He knew he messed up this time. That joke had been too much.

And then, that kiss. He still couldn't understand why Lan Zhan had kissed him only to ignore him so coldly the next day. Nothing made sense.

Wei Ying had spent a good part of the night trying to understand it all, turning in his bed, hugging his old stuffed toy to give himself some comfort. And he, finally, had come up with some plans to fix the situation.

Step 1 : sincerely apologize to Lan Zhan.

That was the least he could do, wasn't it?

Step 2 : stop teasing and bothering him.

He now understood that his jokes could be hurtful.

And step 3 : he needed to get his schooling back on track.

Maybe if he showed Lan Zhan that he was serious, he could at least get a little attention from him... 

Wei Ying knew that all this wouldn't be settled in a day, but he was ready to try. He couldn't stand the cold between them, especially after that kiss that had left him all confused and lost.

Every time he thought about it, he felt a shiver run down his spine. Why had Lan Zhan done it? Was it out of anger, frustration, or was there something more?

As Wei Ying waited impatiently for Lan Zhan to arrive, he patted his face to wake himself up a little - because of the bad night he had - and forced himself to smile as best he could so that no one would notice his true emotions.

He was leaning against a wall in the corridors of his high school and he knew Lan Zhan was going to pass by; this corridor only led to one classroom and it was the one where they were supposed to have class.

And at the same moment, the man who had been occupying his thoughts arrived, limping slightly. The sight made Wei Ying bite his lip and feel bad since he knew it was his fault...

But he didn't let himself be discouraged and forcing a smile on his face, he approached Lan Zhan, who simply rolled his eyes at the sight of him coming so excitedly.

"Lan Zhan! Can we talk?" Wei Ying asked, stepping into Lan Zhan's path to stop him.

"We have nothing to discuss," Lan Zhan replied, arms crossed over his chest.

"You're right... But I still wanted to apologize for what happened last time. I mean it, Lan Zhan," Wei Ying murmured as he nervously pinched his lower lip.

Lan Zhan’s gaze flickered down to Wei Ying’s lips. It was just for a second but enough to make his heart skip a beat. As he continued to observe Wei Ying’s face, he noticed the dark circles beneath his eyes. The redness and puffiness around Wei Ying's eyes didn’t escape his notice either, and it made him frown with concern.

"I know it really wasn't cool and I realized it, so I hope you can accept my apology." Wei Ying offered him a small smile before suddenly raising his hand next to his head and saying, "I promise you that I, Wei Ying, won't bother you anymore!" He exclaimed, a small laugh escaping his lips.

Lan Zhan watched him do it, his face frowning more and more. Had Wei Ying been hit by a car or what? Was this the same Wei Ying he'd known?

"Wei Ying-"

"No need to say anything Lan Zhan, don't worry. Just know that I'm really sorry and that you won't be hearing from me again!" Wei Ying replied once more.

Lan Zhan sighed. Should he believe him ? Wei Ying had always given him pranks, what if he was currently giving him one?

A laugh was heard and as if Wei Ying had read Lan Zhan's mind, he shook his head gently.

"No Lan Zhan don't worry, it's not a joke this time. I really intend to leave you alone now, like you've always wanted, right?" He asked, the answer obvious in his head, "So... I'm off. I've really enjoyed myself by your side, Lan Zhan."

And while saying this, his face was decorated with a smile as illuminating as the sun before he turned around and entered the classroom, leaving a speechless Lan Zhan behind. 

Chapter Text

Lan Zhan stared at his textbook, not really reading what was written. The words just passed before his eyes without him being able to concentrate.

The teacher kept talking, but everything he said seemed far away, blurred, as if Lan Zhan was somewhere else. He was somewhere else, lost in thought.

It had been several days now. Several days since he had... since he had kissed Wei Ying.

Just thinking about that moment made Lan Zhan's heart beat faster. He could still feel the warmth of Wei Ying's lips against his own. It had been so quick, but it had left a mark, something he couldn't erase from his mind…

Why had he done it ?

Lan Zhan wasn't the type to act without thinking. He had always been controlling his emotions, to follow the rules. Ever since he was a child, his father had told him over and over again: 

"Lan Zhan, never show your true emotions. Focus on your studies, that's all that matters." 

And Lan Zhan had always listened. He had always made sure never to show what he really felt. 

But that day, he ruined everything.

The memory of that kiss haunted him.

He still couldn't understand why he did it. Was it because he was angry? Frustrated? Or was there something else, something more complicated that he couldn't admit? What he did know was that since that day, everything had changed.

Lan Zhan looked around quickly and his eyes fell on Wei Ying. 

Usually, Wei Ying couldn't stay still. He was always cracking jokes, talking too loudly, annoying him. But now... Now he was different. He was silent, focused on his business, as if he'd decided to stop paying attention to Lan Zhan. It was so strange.

This idea gave Lan Zhan a strange feeling. He didn't know why, but Wei Ying's absence from his life, even if it had only been a few days, bothered him more than he cared to admit.

He should be happy that Wei Ying was leaving him alone. After all, that's what he always wanted, wasn't it? So why did he feel so empty?

Lan Zhan closed his textbook, trying to get these thoughts out of his head. But that was easier said than done.

To tell the truth, Lan Zhan couldn't really remember when he first started paying attention to Wei Ying. Perhaps it had been from the very beginning, as soon as they'd started running into each other in high school. He always knew Wei Ying was different. He was never quiet, always moving around, always ready to do something crazy or say something unexpected.

And that was exactly what had always intrigued him about Wei Ying. Although he would never admit it, Lan Zhan didn't really hate Wei Ying. On the contrary, there had always been a kind of secret admiration. After all, Wei Ying was everything Lan Zhan was not: free, and able to say what he thought without hesitation. It was fascinating... and scary at the same time. 

But, as expected, Lan Zhan always kept his distance. He followed the advice of his father, who had told him again and again that emotions were dangerous.

"Never let anyone make you lose your temper, Lan Zhan. Emotions only serve to distract you from what's really important."

These words were engraved in his mind and he had applied them. 

So he ignored Wei Ying, or at least tried to. Because every time Wei Ying approached him, provoked him, put him on edge, Lan Zhan felt something. Something he didn't understand and preferred to ignore...

But that kiss... that kiss had changed everything.

Lan Zhan had reacted without thinking, driven by an impulse he could no longer control. It was as if all those emotions he buried for years had suddenly surfaced. He had kissed Wei Ying, and for a moment, everything had seemed different. Nothing mattered, not his father's words, not his discipline... Just this moment. That touch.

It was troubling.

And that was the problem. After that kiss, Lan Zhan had been faced with a storm of emotions he didn't know how to handle. He felt lost, unsettled and that was a feeling he hated. He needed time to understand how he felt, to sort out his thoughts. So he had chosen to distance himself even further from Wei Ying.

No, it wasn't because he hated him, but because he needed to regain control. 

He needed time to understand why that kiss had upset him so much. Why, after all these years of ignoring his feelings, they had suddenly erupted with such force ? Lan Zhan wasn't ready to face these emotions, not yet.

And he didn't want Wei Ying there to see how lost he was.

But now that Wei Ying was ignoring him in return, Lan Zhan wondered if it hadn't been a mistake. Distancing himself from him had been the right decision? No, and the emptiness Wei Ying had left in his life was bigger than Lan Zhan had anticipated.

And this realization troubled him even more.

Lan Zhan turned discreetly to Wei Ying once more, his heart clenching as he saw him staring out the window, as if he no longer existed.

And for the first time, he wondered if ignoring Wei Ying was really what he wanted…

But deep down, he already knew the answer.

•••

It was another boring day for Wei Ying. He spent his days at school alone, ate alone and even worked alone. In the past, he'd always go and annoy Lan Zhan while the latter was working, but now he was aware that it was all over. 

Wei Ying honestly couldn't believe he had come to this. Spending his days in the library, immersed in his notebooks was not his style at all! But he had promised himself to change. To stop bothering Lan Zhan, to concentrate on his studies.

After all, he wanted to show that he could be serious too.

But, again, that was easier said than done.

Even when he was reading his lessons, his mind kept returning to that kiss. That damned kiss. He tried to forget it, to put Lan Zhan out of his mind, but it was impossible. Whenever he concentrated a little, the image of Lan Zhan came back into his mind. 

He spent his days writing notes, doing exercises, keeping himself busy so he didn't have to think about anything else but Lan Zhan was always there, in the corner of his mind and it drove him crazy. And needless to say, after that kiss, he'd felt something in his lower stomach that he couldn't explain... It was as if Lan Zhan had triggered something in him that had made him addicted to him, addicted to his touch...

Wei Ying sighed, wondering why he couldn't concentrate. He really wanted to move on, to prove that he didn't need Lan Zhan. But with each passing day, he realized it wasn't that simple.

He missed Lan Zhan more than he thought he would...

So, even as he tried to immerse himself in what the teacher was talking about, Wei Ying couldn't stop thinking about him. And that was really frustrating. He was now playing nervously with his pen, eyes fixed on the window when suddenly the teacher's shrill voice brought him abruptly back to reality.

"Wei Wuxian!" Mr. Han called, irritated.

Wei Ying gasped, pen flying out of his hand. All eyes in the class were now on him.

"Yes, sir?" He replied in an uncertain voice.

The teacher stared at him with a stern expression. "Wei Wuxian, I noticed you weren't concentrating at all right now. I asked you a question, and as usual, you weren't listening." He paused and Wei Ying tried to remember what the question was but his mind remained totally blank.

He opened his mouth to try and say something, anything but no words came out.

The professor looked at him with a mixture of disappointment and anger. 

"I heard you were trying to concentrate more on your studies," The teacher resumed in an icy voice, "But I see that's still not the case. In fact, I'm beginning to think you never will. Maybe you should stop trying."

The silence that followed these words was heavy and oppressive. Wei Ying felt a pang in his stomach, as if someone had just taken the air from his lungs. He lowered his eyes, unable to meet the gaze of the teacher or his classmates.

It was as if all his attempts to change, to become a more serious person had just been reduced to dust in an instant.

Lan Zhan, seated a few rows back, slowly felt his anger rising. He clenched his fists under his desk, trying to keep calm.

He never showed his emotions, but this was difficult. The teacher's comment was really unfair, and he was on the verge of getting up to say something. But he knew that intervening would only make things worse so he remained silent against his will.

Finally, Mr. Han turned on his heel, resuming his lesson as if nothing had happened.

Wei Ying, on the other hand, haven’t moved, his eyes fixed on his desk, trying to ignore his teacher’s remark.

But this wasn't just another remark: it had hit right where it hurt most…

And on the other side, Lan Zhan noticed that Wei Ying wasn't himself at all. He was down, his usually bright and cheerful eyes completely disappeared. And oh fuck, how much he wanted to bring back that smile and those sparkling eyes at that moment.

When the bell finally rang, Wei Ying slowly gathered up his belongings, carefully avoiding anyone's gaze. Lan Zhan watched him quietly, his heart heavy. He wanted to go and talk to him, to tell him that what the professor had said was stupid and unkind. But he held back, simply observing him in silence, his thoughts turned to his classmate who suddenly seemed so fragile.

Despite his aching ankle, Lan Zhan also gathered up his belongings and left the classroom in a hurry, his gaze never leaving Wei Ying as he walked away down the corridors. 

"Damn it Wei Ying, why did you suddenly decided to ignore me? Please come back, this isn't what I wanted..."  He thought inwardly, feeling his heart heavy.

•••

A sigh escaped Wei Ying as he settled into one of the chairs in the library. He put down all the books he'd been using the last few days to improve his grades and without even opening them, he simply looked at them. He still had his teacher's words in his head and honestly, it had demotivated him a little. But he refused to give up so he opened one of the books.

As Wei Ying began to familiarize himself with the exercise, his phone vibrated beside him. His brows furrowed as he saw his mother's contact displayed.

| Mom 

We're staying in Vietnam a few more months, we've had things to do. Your father sent you enough money until we got back. 

✓✓

No hello, no "how are you?", Wei Ying was used to it. But it still hurt to see how little his parents cared about him. He didn't even bother to reply and plunged back into his lessons. But surprisingly, a new distraction disturbed him.

"Um, excuse me..."

Wei Ying looked up at the voice beside him and saw a young man about his age. He seemed a little shy and embarrassed to interrupt but Wei Ying gave him a small, comforting smile to encourage him to continue what he wanted to say. 

"Can I sit here...? There are no more seats left." He said in his soft voice.

"Oh… yes of course! There's no problem." Wei Ying exclaimed, inviting him to sit down next to him.

"Thank you very much." Replied the other young man as he settled down, "I'm Wen Ning by the way." He continued, offering him a smile.

"And I'm Wei Ying. Nice to meet you." 

They exchanged a small smile, and although Wei Ying thought that at first there would be an awkward silence between them, it was quite the opposite. Wen Ning was a shy young man, of course, but he talked a lot once he was comfortable so they'd said a lot to each other in just a few minutes.  

Wei Ying learned that Wen Ning was an art student preparing for an exam that was due to take place soon. They chatted for long minutes - whispering, of course, because they were in a library - and finally decided to exchange numbers before getting back to work. 

After long hours of work, research and exercise, Wei Ying stretched in his chair, letting a tired grunt escape his lips. He honestly couldn't take it anymore! He didn't know how people managed to stay focused on work for hours - he just couldn't do it! Wei Ying mentally remembered to ask Lan Zhan. Lan Zhan... And now he was thinking of him again...

Wei Ying held his head in his hands and forced himself to stop thinking about him, strangely enough, it wasn't working. But that honestly didn't surprise him any more, he hadn't been able to for a few days now…

"Huh Wei Ying?" 

The named man turned to his new friend and saw him looking at something behind him.

"Yes?"

"Do you know this guy? He won't stop looking at us." He announced, his gaze never leaving the person behind Wei Ying. 

Wei Ying frowned and turned discreetly, letting out a hiccup of surprise as he met Lan Zhan's dark, cold gaze. 

"O..oh him..." He whispered to Wen Ning, "He's just someone from my class, don't mind him." 

"Are you sure? Isn't he your boyfriend?" He asked, surprised.

Wei Ying almost choked on his saliva at what his friend said. He shook his head quickly, waving his hands in the air.

"No no, he's not my... boyfriend," he assured, his cheeks flushing red. 

Strangely enough, the idea of Lan Zhan being his boyfriend didn't really displease Wei Ying. But he shook his head to stop himself from thinking anything: Lan Zhan would never love him. 

"What makes you think that?"

"He's looking at me like I've killed his family," Wen Ning said with a laugh, "I think he's not very happy about me talking to you." 

Wei Ying widened his eyes, "Huh? No, you're probably imagining things, Wen Ning. He's probably just cursing at us because we took the last remaining seats." He added with a chuckle. But that chuckle sounded fake, as if it made him sad.

Wen Ning shrugged, not making further attempt to understand and returned to his work, still feeling the burning gaze upon him.

"Oh that's right," Wei Ying got up from his chair as if he'd just remembered something, "I'll be right back, I need to borrow a book to study at home."

"Okay go ahead, I'll keep an eye on your things." Wen Ning replied, offering him a smile. 

Wei Ying wasted no time and headed for the shelves where the math textbooks were kept. He searched for the exercise book he was interested in, and once he'd set eyes on it, he was about to grab it when someone on the other side of the shelf did the same.  

Wei Ying froze for a second.

"Oh… I'm sorry, take it! I'll ask the librarian if there's any left in stock." Wei Ying said, but that was before he met the gaze of the person on the other side... 

When he met that gaze – he knew more than well – a shiver ran down his spine. It was Lan Zhan. Yes, Lan Zhan. The latter’s gaze on him made him shiver as much as before and it almost worried Wei Ying who bit his lip as he felt himself blush.

"Oh… Lan Zhan it's you." 

"Mn." 

At his classmate's reply, Wei Ying forced himself not to say anything to him and nodded. 

"I'll… I’ll be off then, take the book for yourself." He said before turning and preparing to leave.

Well, that was before Lan Zhan's voice stopped him, surprising him more than anything: since when was he the one to start conversations? But the question Lan Zhan asked was certainly not what he had expected…

"Who's that guy with you?"

Wei Ying froze.

"Mh?" 

"This guy. Who is he?" Lan Zhan asked, frowning.

Wei Ying opened his mouth but then closed it again. He honestly didn't understand. What did Lan Zhan meant? He wanted to know who Wen Ning was, but why? What did it matter to him?

"Wen Ning...? He's my…friend. Yeah, my friend. Why?" Wei Ying asked.

At that moment, he realized how funny the scene must have be to watch. It was true after all, he and Lan Zhan were literally talking to each other while a shelf of books separated them. 

"Is he your new target? The one you decide to mess with now?" Lan Zhan asked again, his voice strangely annoyed.

"…Hum, What do you mean?" Wei Ying raised an eyebrow, "No he's a friend I've-"

"I saw you laughing together Wei Ying, there's no need to lie to me."

"But-"

Lan Zhan didn't let him finish and continued, "Is that why you've decided to stop pissing me off? Because you found someone else?" He asked, his voice cold.

Needless to say that Wei Ying was standing there, his mouth forming an "O". He didn't really understand what Lan Zhan was trying to tell him but he knew it wasn't something he'd normally say. In the end, he offered him a small smile as he said:

"Whether he is or not, it's not you I'm bothering anymore so you should be happy right?" He added, a false smile on his lips, "Speaking of that, I hope your ankle's feeling better. I'm sorry again, Lan Zhan." 

And with that, Wei Ying left Lan Zhan once again. The latter watched him join his "friend" and felt his heart do that weird thing again. Wei Ying's words repeated in his head like an echo, "You should be happy, right?" No, Lan Zhan wasn't happy. Absolutely not happy. He wanted Wei Ying to keep bothering him, not ignore him!

•••

When Lan Zhan arrived home that evening, he was not in a good mood. He didn't even bother to eat and headed straight for the shower. As usual, his father wasn't there, and that suited him just fine. Whenever they talked, it always ended in an argument so Lan Zhan preferred to avoid it as much as possible.

When he finished showering, Lan Zhan emerged from the bathroom with a towel around his waist and another around his shoulders, which he used to dry his hair. 

It was a very pleasing sight to behold, especially because Lan Zhan had a very pleasing and attractive body. In short: anyone who set eyes on him immediately fell in love.

But as you can imagine, Lan Zhan didn't give a damn about these people. They were all the same, all looking for the same thing. Except Wei Ying. 

Wei Ying... 

At the thought of this name, Lan Zhan sat up on his bed and a sigh escaped his lips. Wei Ying, Wei Wuxian: this guy who's been driving him crazy lately. The one he thought about day and night, the one to whom he wanted to kiss those soft, sweet lips, the one who–

Lan Zhan shook his head and groaned as he felt something wake up down there. He tried not to think about it again and once he was in his pyjamas, closed his eyes and waited for sleep to come to him. 

In this darkened room, lightly illuminated by the lamp on the desk, moans and groans could be heard.

Lan Zhan continued to roll his hips and, a little annoyed with himself, he possessively grabbed Wei Ying’s body to press it against his own. Wei Ying gasped, and Lan Zhan caught his lips, drawing him into a passionate kiss.

Wei Ying felt himself melt against his classmate, and the latter tugged at his underpants, helping him get rid of them. He then lifted them onto the bed and laid Wei Ying on his back without breaking the kiss.

"Nngh.. L–Lan Zhan." Wei Ying moaned when Lan Zhan touched his body possessively and enviously.

"Wei Ying, you are so beautiful. My beautiful Wei Ying." He groaned, his eyes darkening. 

And little by little, Lan Zhan's kisses went down, passing over Wei Ying's neck, his torso and then finally his private area. Well, of course to tease Wei Ying, he stopped kissing when he got to this part. And a pretty smile graced his face when he saw his hole already dripping with sperm and— 

Lan Zhan woke up with a flinch, sweat pouring down his forehead and breathing hard. He looked around and noticed that he was alone in his room and that it was still a little dark outside. What… What kind of dream was this?! He couldn't believe it, had he really dreamt of Wei Ying doing...

No, Lan Zhan didn't want to think about it anymore. He could already feel his cheeks and ears turning red, but even more when he noticed a lump in his crotch.

"Fuck…" He groaned, taking off his blanket.

Seeing his cock so excited, Lan Zhan bit his lip and despite how he tried not to satisfy his sexual desires, his hand still found its way into his boxers, encircling his cock.

He pinched his lower lip and began to slowly move his hand up and down, making regular and constant back-and-forth movements.

Lan Zhan closed his eyes and to help him reach orgasm, he did nothing more than think of Wei Ying. This dream seemed so strange but so pleasant at the same time. Lan Zhan couldn't understand his body: why had he dreamt of himself... doing such an intimate thing with Wei Ying? Why Wei Ying, why not– 

Thinking of how the latter was underneath him, controlled by none other than himself and letting out moans as high-pitched as the last, Lan Zhan sensed that his end was approaching. His hand made faster, more intense movements, and finally, after a few groans of pleasure, he came in his hand. 

"Fuck… Wei Ying..!" 

Panting, Lan Zhan threw his head back, a growl escaping his mouth. He closed his eyes and sighed.

Okay, he was definitely screwed. 

First it was these inexplicable feelings towards Wei Ying and now he was dreaming about him and on top of that, while having sex?

Lan Zhan definitely didn't understand his body. 

He finally got up from his bed, checked the time and noticed that it was time for him to get ready for class. Lan Zhan headed for his bathroom and needless to say, a second round had taken place after his thoughts miraculously turned once again to Wei Ying and his cock reacted. He spent a good ten minutes in the shower, trying to calm his erection, and then got ready. 

"Lan Zhan. You're awake." His father said first thing in the morning when he came downstairs to the kitchen. 

At that moment, Lan Zhan refrained himself from saying "And you are finally back home." So he just shrugged and walked past him. 

"Mn." 

He didn't really answer and poured himself a glass of milk, his bag dangling over one of his shoulders. 

"Lan Zhan. Look at me." 

At this request, he tensed. He swallowed the last sip of his milk and turned to his father, his face emotionless. Lan Zhan was used to his father only talking to him about his grades, so when he did so again, he rolled his eyes.

"I've noticed your grades are getting worse and worse. What's going on?" 

"Nothing."

"Lan Zhan."

"There's absolutely nothing, Dad." He added, shrugging his shoulders.

"No need to lie to me, I think I know my son well enough to tell something's wrong. Is this after you joined your stupid basketball team?"

Lan Zhan laughed mockingly. He knew his father didn't give a damn about his pleasures and only wanted him to concentrate on his studies. But at this point? Lan Zhan was fed up. He'd always followed his orders when he was younger, but now that he'd grown up, he couldn't take it anymore. 

"Well, name three things I like if you know me that well; you don’t know, do you? Oh, I think it's because you were never interested in me and always asked me to work and work without ever asking me what I really liked." He spat before continuing, "So don't talk about my team like that and keep your remarks to yourself." 

And with that sentence, Lan Zhan turned and walked out of the kitchen, fists clenched. The last thing he'd seen on his father's face was surprise but also annoyance. But honestly,  he didn't care now; he wanted to make his own choices and not depend on his father.

A sigh escaped his lips as he stepped outside. The cool morning wind hit his face and his thoughts quickly went everywhere.

Firstly, it had already been a few weeks since Wei Ying had stopped bothering him - stopped paying attention to him - and since their conversation in the library. And honestly, Lan Zhan felt like he was going crazy. His thoughts were always on Wei Ying, and he always felt that unpleasant, possessive feeling whenever he saw him with this Wen Ning.

Because yes, during those weeks, Lan Zhan had noticed that Wei Ying had become very, very close to Wen Ning. So much that at the end of each class, Wei Ying would rush down the corridors to join his friend. 

And Lan Zhan had to watch him walk away, his heart heavy; he’d frankly felt like he'd been violently replaced and it hurt. It hurt a lot. 

And even now they were together. 

Indeed, Lan Zhan had barely set foot in the establishment when he noticed that there were Wei Ying and Wen Ning together, talking. And, again, with a heavy heart, he walked away without noticing the two staring at him.

"Huh, Wei Ying?"

"Yeah?" He answered without even looking at his friend, all his attention being on Lan Zhan. 

"May I ask why you're looking at him like that?"

There was a brief silence as Wei Ying realized what he had been doing. The tips of his ears turned red, and he quickly straightened up, an innocent, shy smile curving his lips.

"What… What were you saying?" he asked, trying to sound normal.

Wen Ning smiled knowingly. "You know, there's no need to pretend. I saw you looking at Lan Zhan."

"What are you talking about? Me? Looking at him? No, no, no, absolutely not," Wei Ying stammered, his tone overly defensive. "I’ve already told you; I’m done bothering him. That’s the end."

Wen Ning nodded, his expression disbelieving but amused. "Of course, Wei Ying, of course. But as your friend, I can tell there’s... something between you two."

Wei Ying’s brow furrowed. "What do you mean, 'something'?"

"A tension," Wen Ning replied.

"A... tension? What on earth are you talking about?" Wei Ying asked, raising an eyebrow, his confusion clear in his expression.

Wen Ning finally leaned in, his voice dropping to a teasing tone. "Listen, I’ve known you since you and Lan Zhan first started not talking to each other, right?" He waited for Wei Ying’s nod before continuing, "Well, ever since then, there's been a tension between you two. I’m not sure exactly what it is, but it’s there." 

"So I wasn't the only one who noticed that! I think he's really mad at me—"

"I think it's love tension—"

The two friends spoke at the same time, their voices overlapping. They paused and stared at each other, surprise visible in Wei Ying's wide eyes while Wen Ning's remained calm but with a hint of amusement.

Then, they both burst out laughing.

"What the fuck? A love tension?"

"Yes. Have you seen the way he looks at you? He's practically inviting you into his bed—"

"Wen Ning!" Wei Ying yelped, quickly slapping a hand over his friend's mouth, his face burning with embarrassment.

He couldn’t believe how bold Wen Ning was being! It was true they had grown quite close over the past few weeks, but he never imagined that the once shy and reserved young man could be so shameless!

"Can you elaborate?" Wei Ying finally asked, his curiosity too strong.

Wen Ning smiled, pleased that his friend was willing to listen. To him, it was obvious that Wei Ying and Lan Zhan were meant for each other, but they were both too blind to see it. And, honestly, he was getting tired of the dark looks Lan Zhan kept giving him whenever he was too close to Wei Ying. 

So he had to do something. And fast!

When Wei Ying finally removed his hand from Wen Ning’s mouth, the latter wasted no time in continuing.

"I don’t have much to say except that there’s some serious love or sexual tension between you two; I don’t know which, but you need to sort it out because otherwise, I swear—"

"W-Wen Ning!" Wei Ying spluttered, his cheeks red. "What sexual tension are you even talking about—"

"He was staring at your ass just a few minutes ago," Wen Ning replied in the calmest tone imaginable.

Wei Ying groaned and slapped a hand against his forehead. Wen Ning was far too blunt for his own good!

"And I think I have a plan..." His friend finally murmured, tapping his chin.

"A plan? What for?" 

"What a silly question! A plan for something to happen between you two, of course!" 

Wei Ying opened his mouth but closed it again just as quickly. He looked at his friend for a few seconds before suddenly shaking his head.

"No no, Wen Ning. I told you I'm leaving him alone, I don’t want to-"

"Do you love him?"

Wei Ying stopped again at Wen Ning's question. He blushed slightly and began to think seriously about the question; did he love Lan Zhan? Yes, it was true that he thought about him all the time, he always wanted to know what he was doing, he wanted all of his attention and he wanted to be loved. Wait… Loved by… Lan Zhan? Wei Ying strangely didn't dislike the idea at all. His heart pounded in his presence, and he knew he couldn't deny it. But was it love? If so, he was sure he didn't stand a chance! This was Lan Zhan we were talking about after all;  the lonely man who showed no emotion and gave him the impression that he hated him. And Wei Ying had to be understood too, the poor man, he'd never been properly loved in his life so all this was new to him, new to his little heart which couldn't bear all this so suddenly.

"Okay, it's confirmed, you love him." Wen Ning suddenly said, snapping his friend out of his thoughts, "So now listen to me and take notes…"

And maybe Wen Ning was wrong about everything, but there was nothing to stop him from trying, was there?

•••

It's often said that love is a feeling of weakness in humans who will do anything for their lovers.

At first, Lan Zhan didn't believe it. Everything people said about this thing called "love" was completely ridiculous to him, completely absurd. But he had slowly begun to understand that he was completely wrong.

The moment he set eyes on Wei Ying, he knew what love was. And he was certain that if that word had to have another definition, it had to be Wei Ying. Because Wei Ying was a person who had to be loved, who needed to be loved, and even if the young man didn't show it, Lan Zhan could see that he needed love. And the more time passed, the more he wanted to be the one to give it to him.

But now he'd completely ruin it and had no chance left.

Or so he thought…

"Alright, warm-up time! Three laps around the field while I get the equipment ready!" the sports teacher shouted, and the class responded with a groan.

"Come on! Start running!" the teacher urged again, clapping his hands impatiently.

Wei Ying let out a heavy sigh as he began to run around the large field. The sun blazed overhead, making the heat unbearable for the students. But for Wei Ying, the heat was the least of his concerns. Today, he was wearing a jacket around his waist; not because of the weather, but because of Wen Ning and one of his absurd ideas.

Want to know what Wen Ning had come up with this time?

Well, after their conversation about the so-called "sexual tension" between him and Lan Zhan, Wen Ning suggested that he wear ridiculously short shorts to, apparently, "show off" his pale and milky thighs.

When he had asked what that would accomplish, Wen Ning just smirked and said, "You’ll see." 

Now, as he ran under the scorching sun, Wei Ying still had no idea what his friend’s plan was supposed to achieve. All he knew was that he felt completely uncomfortable in these shorts, and tying his jacket around his waist was the only way he could hide himself.

And he honestly didn’t understand how wearing short shorts had anything to do with Lan Zhan and their so-called sexual tension–

Wait…

And that’s when it hit him.

Wei Ying's eyes widened as he realized exactly what Wen Ning’s ridiculous plan was. His legs slowed until they stopped. Heat rushed to his face, his heart raced as the thought formed in his mind and his cheeks flushed a deep red.

"Wen Ning! If I catch him, I’ll—"

"Wei Ying! Why did you stop running? Keep going!" 

The teacher’s sharp voice snapped Wei Ying out of his thoughts.

He stammered out an apology, quickly picking up his pace again. His face was now burning, and it had nothing to do with the heat. It was all Wen Ning’s fault! Tightening the jacket around his waist, Wei Ying glanced around the field, trying to see if Lan Zhan was anywhere nearby. His mind raced as much as his legs did.

Come to think of it, he hadn’t seen Lan Zhan in the locker room earlier. Where was he?

And as he completed his last lap, the teacher called them all to come to him and listen to the instructions for their sports session. 

But just as Wei Ying was catching his breath, he heard footsteps approaching.

Turning around, he nearly tripped over his own feet when he saw Lan Zhan walking toward the field. His chest tightened. Lan Zhan wasn’t in his gym clothes and, at the teacher’s instruction, quietly took a seat on the bench behind him. 

"Okay, that’s good, you’ve done the hard part," the teacher announced with a satisfied nod, "Now, form teams and get on the field. Once you're ready, Lan Zhan will be the referee for your soccer matches since he’s excused from sport."

Exempt from sports. Of course. Wei Ying gritted his teeth, remembering that it was his fault Lan Zhan was exempt in the first place, and he still felt guilty about it. His gaze never left Lan Zhan, who didn’t seemed to notice his presence, calm as ever. 

And as the rest of the class started forming teams, Wei Ying couldn’t stop staring. Lan Zhan hadn’t looked his way even once and it almost made him sad and–

"Hey, Wei Ying! Wanna join our team?"

Wei Ying snapped out of his thoughts, quickly glancing away from Lan Zhan to see Qian Ran smiling at him.

"Oh. Why not," he replied, returning the smile.

As he walked over, his classmate casually slung an arm around his shoulders, causing Wei Ying to tense up immediately. He wasn’t really used to physical contact, and Qian Ran’s easygoing manner on him made him a little bit uncomfortable. 

"You'll see! We'll beat them all!" His classmate exclaimed with enthusiasm as they made their way toward the rest of the team.

Wei Ying, distracted by his awkwardness, failed to notice the dark, intense gaze that was locked onto him from across the field.

And, to be fair, Qian Ran’s grip on him was starting to feel too comfortable for someone he barely knew.

Just as Wei Ying tried to slip out from under Qian Ran’s arm, an unmistakable presence appeared behind him.

"…Lan Zhan?"

Wei Ying turned around, startled to see Lan Zhan standing so close, his expression neutral but his eyes sharp, angry. There was something in the way Lan Zhan looked at him — or rather, at the arm still resting on his shoulders — that made his heart skip a beat.

"Get ready for the match instead of chatting. I'm going to be your team's referee," Lan Zhan said, his voice as cold as ever.

Instantly, the lively chatter around them died down, a heavy silence settling over the group.

Lan Zhan’s presence had an almost suffocating effect, making everyone straighten up, even Qian Ran, who quickly removed his arm from Wei Ying’s shoulders when he felt Lan Zhan’s piercing gaze on him.

"… Yeah. He’s right. Come on guys, let’s get into position," Qian Ran said, nodding.

The rest of the team murmured in agreement, heading toward midfield. But Wei Ying, still in his spot, couldn’t tear his eyes away from Lan Zhan. The intensity of Lan Zhan’s stare hadn’t wavered; it was still fixed on Qian Ran with a something mixed with anger and… possessiveness ?

Wei Ying had no idea what was going through Lan Zhan's mind but it made him bite his lip. 

Finally, Wei Ying cleared his throat awkwardly, trying to break the silence. "Uh, Lan Zhan? You… good?" 

Lan Zhan blinked, his gaze softening as he looked at Wei Ying properly. Without another word, he started to walk away.

But just as he was about to join the rest of the class, Lan Zhan spoke over his shoulder, his voice strangely stern, "Pull your jacket a little tighter around you. It’s falling."

It took Wei Ying a moment to process what Lan Zhan had said, but by the time he looked up, Lan Zhan was already walking away, far ahead of him. A sudden rush of heat flooded Wei Ying’s cheeks and his gaze dropped to his waist.

Sure enough, his jacket had loosened and was dangerously close to slipping off. 

Cursing at his friend, Wei Ying joined his class with red cheeks and a pout visible on his face.

"I told you we'd win!" exclaimed Ren Min, a friend of Qian Ran's, as he opened the door to the changing room.

Wei Ying took a deep breath, relieved that the match was over. He quickly made his way to his belongings, eager to get changed. The ridiculous shorts Wen Ning had suggested had been making him uncomfortable. But fortunately, nothing serious had happened during sport class: neither with Lan Zhan, nor with his jacket, which had nearly fallen off several times.

"Yeah, it's a good thing we had Qian Ran on the team, otherwise we'd probably have lost," joked another teammate.

"Ah, guys, stop flattering me. I remind you that I wasn't the only one who gave it my all," retorted Qian Ran with a smile .

Then, turning to Wei Ying, he added, "Wei Ying also played very well. Mh, Wei Ying?" As he said this, he slipped a hand around Wei Ying's waist, startling the latter who was about to change his clothes.

Wei Ying tried to hide his discomfort, but Qian Ran's proximity and gesture were clearly making him uncomfortable. He felt increasingly tense.

"Y-Yeah, thanks. We all played well," he stammered, trying to extricate himself from his classmate’s grip.

But just then, the locker room door opened again, and Lan Zhan, limping slightly, entered the room. A heavy silence instantly set in. The atmosphere changed dramatically and Wei Ying felt his heart race.

Lan Zhan's intense gaze immediately landed on him, making the air suddenly unbreathable.

Aware that Qian Ran still had his arm around his waist, Wei Ying slowly removed it himself, embarrassed. He nervously began to put his things away, feeling oppressed by Lan Zhan's presence. He reached for his bottle of water, but being in a hurry, it slipped out of his hand and fell to the ground with a thud.

Frustrated, Wei Ying bent down to pick it up, but forgot an important detail: the shorts he was wearing didn't hide much in that position.

He realized his mistake when he heard some whispers followed by a few whistles behind him.

In a fraction of a second, he stood up, cheeks burning with shame and rushed out of the changing room, water bottle clutched tightly to his chest. 

What he didn't know was that Lan Zhan hadn't let this moment pass. With a simple icy stare, he had silenced his classmates who had dared to look a little too closely at his Wei Ying.

"Wei Ying, wait!"

In his haste, Wei Ying felt his heart miss a beat as he heard that familiar voice calling his name. He didn't need to turn around to know who it was. Lan Zhan. But the thought of meeting his gaze, while his cheeks were still burning with shame, paralyzed him. 

Huh, he was really going to make Wen Ning pay for all this!

Finally, he stopped and turned slowly towards Lan Zhan.

And then, despite everything, a smile escaped his lips. The scene was almost comical: Lan Zhan, who usually seemed so sure of himself, limped awkwardly as he tried to catch up. There was something strange but amusing about this reversal of roles. Usually, it was always Wei Ying who ran after Lan Zhan, trying to get his attention despite the icy silences and indifferent glances.

And now it was Lan Zhan who, despite his injury, was making the effort to come to him. 

It was bizarre to see him in this situation, especially when he'd had so much trouble ignoring Wei Ying.

"W..What?" Asked Wei Ying when Lan Zhan came up to his full height.

Without saying a word, Lan Zhan removed his own jacket, causing Wei Ying to frown in confusion. 

"Put my jacket around your waist. Yours doesn't hide anything at all," Lan Zhan finally declared, glancing quickly at the small jacket tied around Wei Ying's thin waist.

Before Wei Ying could reply, Lan Zhan stepped forward and wrapped his arms around him to fasten the jacket. Wei Ying felt his cheeks flush immediately. This closeness, this familiar smell... it reminded him of their kiss, the one they'd shared in detention. A moment engraved in his heart, which he didn't know if Lan Zhan still thought about, but which haunted Wei Ying at every moment. 

And the more he thought about it, the more he realized how much he was falling for him.

Lan Zhan, neutral as ever, finished tying his jacket around Wei Ying's waist, then straightened, carefully avoiding meeting his gaze.

"Huh, Lan Zhan-" stammered Wei Ying, trying to say something, anything.

"Don't take it off. It hides much better this way. And a tip, next time, try wearing longer shorts," Lan Zhan said simply before turning away, hands in his pockets, walking away as if nothing had happened.

Wei Ying, wide-eyed, watched him go. He wanted to call out to him, to hold him back, to tell him everything that was on his mind. But his mouth remained mute, while his heart beat furiously, as if shouting in his place.

There could be no more doubt.

Wei Ying was definitely in love with Lan Zhan.

And that evening, when he walked through the door of his home, a feeling of lightness invaded him.

Wei Ying, who usually went home sad because he knew no one would be waiting for him, was happy for once.

His interaction with Lan Zhan had left him perplexed, but had made him realize just how deeply in love he'd fallen. A huge smile lit up his face as he removed his shoes.

A joyous cry escaped his lips as he jumped up and down, his heart beating so fast he could hardly contain his excitement.

"Lan Er-gege, you'll always amaze me with your unexpected actions," he chuckled, amused. "Now, how do you expect me to ignore you?! You kiss me, then you do this to me... How do you expect me to stop bothering you?!"

As he mumbled these words, Wei Ying headed for the bathroom, still excited. He might not yet have Lan Zhan's full forgiveness, but his gesture today was enough to show him that something had changed.

That’s was all Wei Ying needed.

And as if the day hadn’t already been eventful enough, while Wei Ying was in the middle of his homework, his phone vibrated beside him. Assuming it was either his mom or Wen Ning, he gave it a passing glance, not wanting to be distracted. But when his eyes fell on the screen, his heart skipped a beat.

A friend request… from Lan Zhan?!

A startled cry escaped Wei Ying, and he stared at the notification in disbelief. He checked it three times to make sure it wasn’t his imagination.

[lan.wgj2301 added you]

Wei Ying sat frozen for a good minute, trying to process what was happening. Lan Zhan? Lan Zhan had just added him?! His mind raced, trying to make sense of it. Was this some kind of mistake? Did Lan Zhan even use social media?

With his heart pounding, Wei Ying's hands shook as he finally pressed "accept." He took a deep breath and waited. 

Ting. Lan Zhan just sent a message!

| lan.wgj2301 

Have you arrived home safely ?

✓✓

Wei Ying's breath caught at this message. He didn't understand anything anymore... Why was Lan Zhan suddenly like this?! It wasn't good for his heart. 

Hesitantly, Wei Ying sent back a message.

| weiyingwei 

yes 

what about you?

✓✓

| lan.wgj2301

 Mn

✓✓

| weiyingwei 

uhm also, your jacket. i’ll return it to you tomorrow 

✓✓

| lan.wgj2301

Oh, i don’t care about it 

You can just keep it to yourself 

✓✓

| weiyingwei 

no! 

i mean, it’s your jacket 

✓✓

| lan.wgj2301

And? 

As long as it hides your ass that others don't mind looking at.

✓✓

| weiyingwei 

…

LAN ZHAN!?

✓✓

| lan.wgj2301

Mn?

✓✓

| weiyingwei 

you can’t just say it like that!!

✓✓

| lan.wgj2301

Why not?

✓✓

It’s true after all

✓✓

| weiyingwei

well.. uh, you just can’t say that!

✓✓

| lan.wgi2301

Ok. 

✓✓

| weiyingwei

so.. you added me to say just that?

✓✓

| lan.wgj2301

No

✓✓

There’s another thing i wanted to say 

✓✓

| weiyingwei

i’m listening then

✓✓

| lan.wgj2301 

Actually, I wanted to talk to you about the kiss

✓✓

Wei Ying's heart raced at this message. His hands grew sweaty and he took a deep breath before typing a message.

| weiyingwei 

 yeah.. what about it? i thought you didn’t want to talk about it.

✓✓

| lan.wgj2301

Yes, but I was wrong.

✓✓

You have the right to have an explanation and it was stupid of me to ignore you after that.

✓✓

| weiyingwei 

oh? :o

lan zhan is feeling guilty ?

✓✓

| lan.wgj2301 

Wei Wuxian.

✓✓

| weiyingwei 

okay okay! i apologize ✧(•́⌄•́๑)

✓✓

but don’t you think we should talk about this in person ?

✓✓

| lan.wgj2301

No.

✓✓

Otherwise I might kiss you again.

✓✓

| weiyingwei

… 

✓✓

LAN WANGJI. 

you can’t say it like that!!

✓✓

| lan.wgj2301 

Of course I can. 

✓✓

Anyways, I was wondering 

✓✓

Uhm, so, how you felt after we kissed ? 

✓✓

| weiyingwei 

honestly ?

✓✓

| lan.wgj2301

Mn

✓✓

| weiyingwei

i felt kinda lost

✓✓

you left right after we kissed, so you can imagine that i had a hundred of unanswered questions..

✓✓

| lan.wgj2301

Yeah, I see.

✓✓

Hum, do you want to ask your questions now?

✓✓

| weiyingwei 

um.. maybe in person please ? it’s quite embarrassing tbh

✓✓

| lan.wgj2301

Yes of course, if it’s what you want.

✓✓

But know that i’m sorry about my childish attitude

✓✓

| weiyingwei 

oho am i dreaming or

THE lan wangji is apologizing ?😏

✓✓

| lan.wgj2301

Wei Ying.

✓✓

| weiyingwei 

okay okay sorry! ^•^

✓✓

anyways, i have to go! 

✓✓

let’s talk about this tomorrow? 

✓✓

| lan.wgj2301

Mn.

✓✓

And oh, one last thing Wei Ying.

✓✓

Im serious, next time don't wear such short clothes because I had to restrain myself from bending you over and fucking you on that bench in the locker room. 

✓✓

[user @weiyingwei disconnected.]