Lan XiChen sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Lan Zhan glowered.

"You could have said it nicely." XiChen continues.

Lan Zhan pointedly looked at his watch.

They were trying to sort out the latest ruckus caused by yet another interview gone wrong, and of course, tempers flared. The only reason Lan Zhan hadn't had a couple of teeth knocked out, was fast reflexes, but luck could only get him so far.

"I don't get it. I only left to check on the car…it wasn't even five minutes!"

"Mn. Four minutes and thirty three seconds."

"Didi…please. We can't keep doing this. So…"

Lan Zhan looked up at the change of tone.

"...I've hired him. Wei WuXian, image consultant. He's going to be here in exactly five minutes, and I want you to be nice to him. Just listen to what he has to say."

Lan Zhan glared at him.

"I don't need an image consultant."

Lan Zhan sounded stubborn…not a good sign. XiChen had to get him on board before -

There was a knock on the door of his office, and then the brightest light in the Universe walked in.

Lan Zhan had never seen anyone quite like this stranger before. He oozed confidence and charm, but in a fun way. His hair was piled on top of his head in a messy bun, tied with a red scrunchie, and apparently defying the laws of gravity by staying intact.

It was nothing short of a miracle when the head it was precariously balanced upon belonged to a most vivacious character. The man practically bounced in, full of enthusiasm and cheerfulness.

Lan Zhan really wanted to hate him.

But he was too beautiful. Not just his gorgeous silver eyes, (and who the heck winked so flirtatiously at the first meeting?) but his entire self was one package of a stunning temptation.

He simply glowed.

He was the light, the flame into which moths threw themselves in, to their glorious deaths.

Lan Zhan wasn't going to be a moth.

Absolutely not.

"So I'll leave you two alone to get to know each other!" XiChen, the conniving little weasel made the hastiest exit known to man.

While Lan Zhan was not-ogling the sharply dressed suited man, his brother had greeted, introduced, and chatted briefly to this outsider, and now pissed off somewhere, tossing Lan Zhan to the wolf.

Lan Zhan got the impression that this was a dangerous man, and that thought invoked a shiver he was powerless to suppress.

This guy was dressed to kill.

His black suit was ruthlessly cut, tailored to fit him like a second skin. He had foregone wearing a tie and instead, the top two buttons of his scarlet shirt gaped open revealing his collarbone. The sun-kissed skin dipped into tantalising hollows where it looked soft enough to bite. And he was wearing heels.

Not women's heels, absolutely not. These were black diamond encrusted boots, like a smart cowboy.

An image flashed in Lan Zhan’s head of a Wei WuXian….surrendering to him…wearing those goddamn killer boots….

Only the boots…

"Hello! I'm Wei WuXian. But since we're gonna be close, Gege, I think you can call me Wei Ying."

He came so close to Lan Zhan, holding out his hand to shake.

Lan Zhan stood up, and as he slid his hand forward because it was only polite, he was hit with a remarkable, intoxicating fragrance. It was sweet and spicy, all at once. And yet, horribly mouth watering at the same time.

Lan Zhan wanted to pull him closer and bite him.

A culminated awareness of his own attraction and annoyance at this, plus it was all Wei Ying.

Wei Ying faltered slightly, at the predatory look in the lion's eyes. That was his first thought, when he had watched all the recordings of previous interviews Lan Zhan had taken part in, most of which weren't so bad. But, they weren't great, either, and Wei Ying could actually see the transition from mildly terrible to awful, to disastrous in the last one.

If it was a graph, the progressive line was barely above the horizontal line before plummeting past it into the sea of negative numbers.

Wei Ying was going to have to pull out all of his charming skills and dive in after him with a lifeline.

"Let's sit and get to know each other, okay?" He said easily, sliding down on the white couch and turning his body so that one leg was higher than the other.

Sitting down would help because he was ready to give in to the shakiness that followed after this man had touched him.

How could a simple handshake affect him so badly?

He was going to have to make a real effort not to touch him again, Wei Ying thought, especially if they continued to see each other in a professional capacity.

"So, Mr Lan, tell me. What do you absolutely hate about interviews?" Wei Ying smiled broadly, mostly to relax himself, and reassure this new potential client.

Although he was hired by the client's brother, the man himself had to agree, and actually make an effort, otherwise Wei Ying’s reputation was on the line.

"Lan WangJi. But you may call me Lan Zhan." He said, also turning his body to face Wei Ying.

He had the most gorgeous voice!

Wei Ying had to sit on his hands to stop himself from squealing with delight.

It was both deep and rumbly, stirring at his insides. It felt like melted chocolate going down his throat, warm, decadent and sinful. Wei Ying imagined him speaking, right into his ear. He shuddered.

"Cold?" Lan Zhan asked him, a smirk playing on his hot lips.

Wei Ying shook his head and shifted back, but the instruction to his brain got muddled up and he moved closer instead. There was a perfume…a sandalwood scent that Lan Zhan embodied. It reminded Wei Ying of hot nights and uncontrolled passion, wrapped up in religious control.

"I do not like questions." Lan Zhan told him truthfully.

Wei Ying gaped at him for a second before giggling.

It was the most delightful sound.

"Okay, now be serious. Tell me the truth. What do you hate about interviews?" He asked again, wiping under his eye.

"Lans do not lie. I hate questions." He enjoyed the way those beautiful silver eyes sparkle with understanding.

"Then why do you agree to do them?" Wei Ying asks, a note of sympathy in his curiosity.

"Xiongzhang says I have to. I cannot just perform and leave." Lan Zhan says, mournfully.

"Well…would you be willing to change things up? What if I told you that we only have to tweak a few things, and the reporters will be eating out of your hands." Wei Ying tells him, joyfully.

"Tweak a few things?" Lan Zhan questions. "I do not wish to be a shepherd. I am a musician."

"So take control of the interview, the whole session. At the moment, you're an enigma to the outside world, but you're fast becoming the Ice Prince, someone unapproachable and distant." Wei Ying informs him gently.

"Good." Lan Zhan agrees.

"Good? No! That's bad. You want them to be clamouring at your door and begging for interviews, praising your name and talking about you as if you were the most attractive, pleasant person who ever walked the earth."

With each word Wei Ying says, Lan Zhan’s face has become darker and darker until he's frightening and calm. It's his beautiful eyes which give him away.

They are tumultuous, like hot, molten gold stirred until sparks fly. He's incredibly angry and it's turning Wei Ying on, making him think of what it would be like to get him really riled up.

"I do not like the sound of that." His mind conjures up images of too many people showing up outside his hotel room, banging on his door and taking away his freedom.

"Alright, we should approach this as a problem like any other. Your brother has given us two weeks to turn things around, and I believe in you. I think we can do this." Wei Ying said, standing up. "Lie down for me."

Gladly, Lan Zhan thinks, grabbing his hand and pulling Wei Ying on top of himself. There's a yelp and then his arms are full of a warm weight, and the scent of lotus flowers and wine make his heart beat faster.

Wei Ying is looking down at him with a hungry gaze, especially as his eyes drift down to look at Lan Zhan’s lips. But at the last minute, he comes to his senses and stands up abruptly, with an awkward laugh.

"You're such a prankster!" He says, dusting himself off just to give his hands something to do. "No…we're going to meditate…sort of. It's a bit more interesting than that."

"I meditate every day." Lan Zhan tells him. He can't help being defensive now.

"That's great!" Wei Ying says, cheerfully.

It's a direct contrast to his mood, now that he's not touching Wei Ying at all. He doesn't want to question this bizarre attraction in any way.

It is what it is.

Having settled his mind, he listens to what Wei Ying is telling him.

"Close your eyes. Breathe in…breathe out…"

They do this exercise for ten breaths and Lan Zhan is feeling quite relaxed now.

"I want you to imagine a ship. You can make it as big as the Titanic. It's going to take away all the people who like asking you questions, all the reporters, all the journalists, all the T.V. People…anyone you don't like talking to…" Wei Ying says. "Tell me when you're done. You have to put them on the boat…"

He waits.

And waits.

And waits.

Wei Ying thinks Lan Zhan might have fallen asleep, he looks so still and silent. He looks at his watch; Lan Zhan has been putting people on that boat for the last ten minutes.

"Lan Zhan…are you done, yet?"

There's a slight frown in response, as if he doesn't want to be interrupted, and a hardly-there shake of his head.

Another ten minutes later, Wei Ying asks him again.

"No. Can I not just get on the boat myself?" He says, clearly irritated.

"Um…no? Alright, that exercise isn't working. You may sit up." Wei Ying watches as Lan Zhan swings his really long legs off the white couch and resume his sitting position.

He doesn't look impressed.

"Maybe we should explore in-depth." Wei Ying sits back down next to him.

Lan Zhan wants to explore in-depth too, just not how Wei Ying is imagining it…

"Tell me, because I don't get it. You know that an interview consists of questions…so what exactly is it about them that you don't like?"

"They are intrusive. And the ones who ask are persistent." Lan Zhan tells him, miserably.

"But you know, it's not like you can just hide under a rock… right? You're a famous person. By rights, in the public eye, you belong to them." Wei Ying reaches over to cover Lan Zhan’s clasped hands.

He cannot help himself, not when this man sounds so helpless and vulnerable. Wei Ying knows he's in a tight spot - Lan Zhan is a famous person, and photo ops and interviews are a necessary and vital part of that lifestyle.

If Wei Ying can make this a little easier for him, then he's going to damn well try.

"I belong to myself." Lan Zhan said.

"Yes, you do. And I'm going to help you take control of it from now on. You will only have to share the parts of yourself that you want to, and what's better is, they're going to thank you!"

"They are?"

Wei Ying nods enthusiastically. "You're going to take charge from now on, and they won't even see you coming. We're going to do practice interviews too, until you can tackle any question, handle any unwanted attention. Alright?"

Lan Zhan looks at their joined hands and finds himself agreeing.

If Wei Ying is right, and that actually happens? Then Wei Ying will become his saviour and Lan Zhan will be in his debt….

***********

Lesson 1

WY: If you don't like a question, rather than refusing to answer it, or remaining silent, you can deflect. If you draw their attention onto something else entirely, they'll forget about the original question, and they'll still love you for giving them an exclusive.

LZ: So I must be working on something top secret and divulge details in a secretive way?

WY: You're making it complicated. It doesn't even have to be something true.

LZ: That's lying. It's deceitful.

WY: No. You don't get it. It can be a little white lie. Those are allowed. Or, it can be something totally unrelated.

LZ: Give me an example.

Wei Ying tapped his nose, thoughtfully.

"I've got it! There was a football manager, and as you know, their jobs depend on the success of their team. This guy had been having a spate of bad luck and his team had lost the last three games. The interviewer asked him if he was worried about the consecutive losses, and he said no. He said he was more worried about the swans, in particular, the one that was running rampant in the grounds of Buckingham Palace. The reporter laughed and asked him something else.

"So, I must appear crazy?" Lan Zhan says, completely straight faced.

"Huh? No! That's just an example, and swans were a hot topic, back then. My point is, say something interesting, and the more unrelated it is, the more confusing it'll be for them."

"Kidding." Lan Zhan replies, and Wei Ying smiles politely.

Neither of them are sure that he is.

Lesson 2

WY: Body language is everything. You want to appear open, ready for anything, and relaxed.

LZ: I'm relaxed.

WY: You don’t look it. Try again.

LZ: No.

WY: That's another thing. You aren't allowed to use that word. Do you know, I once watched a hotel show where the presenters were a part of the service staff, and they went to work at the World's most expensive hotel. The concierge training them, said they were not allowed to use that word either, and they had to find other ways of saying it. They were told that their replies had to be positive and affirming even if the bottom line was a hidden 'no'. Do you get it?

LZ: So you are telling me to lie?

Wei Ying sighs.

"No. I'm telling you to skate on the thin line between truth and lies. The words you use must not sound like you're talking "at" them, or from a position that's opposite them. You have to sound like you're on their side. Talking "with" them."

LZ: How do I tell someone that they're stupid, without actually saying thar?

WY: You can't!!

Lan Zhan sighs.

WY: Okay, try this but you didn't hear it from me!

LZ: Mn.

WY: Wisdom is chasing you, but you've always been faster.

Lan Zhan actually smiles.

Wei Ying stands up.

"You're too tense. Relax these muscles." He goes around to the back of the chair and proceeds to massage the stiff muscles around his neck and shoulders, kneading and pressing down until he feels a change.

Lan Zhan was willing to pay him a hefty sum to do that every day. He hadn't realised how stressed he was about… all of it. To him, nothing else mattered except going out and playing to willing ears. That's how his career had taken off, busking just to let ordinary, everyday people share in the beauty of music while they went to work.

Just those few seconds of magic had the ability to change their lives, make their footsteps that much lighter. To lift their souls with every note.

And then one day, Lan Zhan was "discovered".

Everything had changed for him after that.

But his one remaining source of conflict was talking to strangers about his inner thoughts, what made him tick, and the things that made him Lan Zhan.

Invasive, intrusive questions.

He wasn't willing to sell himself.

"That's so much better." Wei Ying praises him. He comes around to face Lan Zhan. "How do you feel now?"

"Calmer." Lan Zhan says, straight away.

"I can give you tips on discreet exercises you can do, even in front of the camera. Anything to do with your shoulders should be acceptable, given your violin and the way you have to constantly hold it in concerts. But there are other things you can do."

Wei Ying shows him how to roll his ankles and stretch out his knees as if he's taking care of the creases in his trousers. How to sit forward and surreptitiously stretch, or the same whilst appearing to lean back.

"Constant movement is good but not to the point of drawing attention to yourself." Wei Ying tells him.

Lesson 3

WY: You're still not open enough.

LZ: Would Wei Ying like to show me?

There's a teasing glimmer in his golden eyes.

That's a definite improvement on the tense and unhappy man Wei Ying had encountered at first.

This is the second week of their training and Lan Zhan is an avid learner. Once he began absorbing all the little things and the big lessons that Wei Ying is teaching him, Lan Zhan has become a lot more confident in how he speaks to people, though so far, it's just been the two of them.

They've done multiple test interviews and Wei Ying has had to intervene less and less.

His daily reports to XiChen, Lan Zhan’s manager, have reflected Lan Zhan's progress and XiChen is pleased with the way his baby brother is learning how to deal with strangers.

But now, both Wei Ying and Lan Zhan are facing another problem of sorts:

Neither can stop flirting with each other.

Their attraction was skyrocketing anyway, but being in each other's company for a solid nine hours a day is taking a chunk out of their self control.

However, both are steady professionals.

XiChen has informed them that the country's leading entertainment magazine wants to do a feature piece on Lan Zhan’s career. This single interview, if successful, will catapult Lan Zhan into the stratosphere of legends, opening the door to sponsorships and other ways to promote his name which will become a brand by itself.

In short, Lan Zhan MUST successfully pass this test.

This all important interview will take place on Monday.

Wei Ying has agreed to give Lan Zhan more tutoring on the Sunday, when it would normally be his day off. He said he didn't mind as long as it was somewhere pleasant.

Lan Zhan immediately agreed, and made XiChen pay him three times his normal fee.

It's a beautiful day when he drives up to Wei Ying’s apartment. There is a surprise in the boot of his car, and Lan Zhan is excited.

Wei Ying bounces up to the car and gets in, immediately fastening his seat belt.

The car is flooded with the fresh smell of lotus flowers and something which is inherently Wei Ying. Lan Zhan takes a moment to just appreciate this, and him. He's been thinking more and more about Wei Ying every day, and he can't wait for their two weeks to be up, and Wei Ying’s contract to be done.

Lan Zhan has plans.

Wei Ying looks beautiful today, even more than usual.

He has left his luxurious long hair tied up in a high ponytail with his trademark red ribbon. And because they're technically not on the clock, they're both dressed a little bit more casually than they would be usually.

Today, Wei Ying is wearing black skinny jeans and an oversized red t-shirt that keeps slipping off one delicious shoulder.

Lan Zhan cannot move on from that glorious bare skin. His shoulder is smooth and rounded with lean muscle, and Lan Zhan has an inexplicable need to bite it.

Wei Ying is also wearing a black lace choker with a single teardrop ruby stone hanging off the centre, and it's nestled right in the smooth dip of his throat.

Lan Zhan is clenching the steering wheel in a death grip.

Wei Ying is similarly affected.

It is the main reason why he took one look at Lan Zhan and fastened himself into his seat, making sure he couldn't move, because the temptation to climb over the gearbox and straight into Lan Zhan’s lap was real.

Lan Zhan is dressed in beige khaki pants, a cream short sleeved shirt with practical pockets, and a pale blue soft looking jumper tossed around his shoulders.

No one had the right to look that good!

Wei Ying looks straight ahead and counts to ten, after risking a look at the drop dead gorgeous man sitting next to him.

Focus, Wei Ying, he tells himself. Only one more day to go…

Lan Zhan drives them to a nature park. There's a bit of hike to the special spot he wants to bring Wei Ying to, and when they return, there's a picnic area to one side, where they'll be able to share the food he has packed in a cooler bag, in the trunk.

He told Wei Ying to bring a comfortable pair of shoes and they're both wearing sneakers.

The sun is shining brightly when they leave the car. Wei Ying seems a little nervous as they begin to walk up the secluded trail which leads up to the mountain. Dried leaves crunch under their feet and the sweet aroma of springtime in bloom fills the air around them.

It's too warm for Lan Zhan’s sweater, and he ends up tying it around his waist. He has to avoid looking in Wei Ying's direction, because doing so invokes a deep-seated need to push him up against the nearest tree and ravish him.

Lan Zhan feels starved, and it's not for food.

They chat as they move steadily upwards.

Lan Zhan learns that Wei Ying was a foster child before being adopted by the Jiangs, he finds out that Wei Ying has a masters in psychology with honours, and when he was about to graduate, he was offered tenure, but he chose to help people. One celebrity later, all his clients became super rich and word-of-mouth advertising has secured his future.

In return, he tells Wei Ying about his path to stardom, how his family had been indulgent in letting him busk, and only when he showed them actual contracts, and needed legal advice, did they begin supporting him for real.

"Why don't you like talking to reporters? You don’t have to answer, if it makes you uncomfortable." Wei Ying glanced at his face and quickly added the last part.

They were walking a little slower now, due to the incline becoming steeper. This trail was off the beaten track, and Wei Ying got the impression that Lan Zhan came here often, from the way he's so certain of his steps.

"My mother died when I was six years old. There was a lot of publicity focused on my family back then, and one time when we were leaving the hospital, there was paparazzi." He remembered cameras flashing in his face and lots of shouting.

And then being bundled into a car, the confusion and trauma leaving him shaking for hours after that. More than a few nights were disturbed by him waking up screaming.

Of all the things Wei Ying expected to be told, that certainly wasn't it.

Lan Zhan wasn't even aware he had stopped walking, but then a warmth surrounded him, and he was shaken from his thoughts. Wei Ying was hugging him.

Wei Ying was hugging him!

It was the best feeling, and Lan Zhan wrapped his arms around him, too.

This moment seemed suspended in time.

They were simply basking in the soft warm sunshine, shielded by the leaves above them, and caressed by a gentle perfumed breeze. Nothing else existed except them.

Comfort seemed like such a small thing, and yet it was so valuable. Something settled within Lan Zhan and he slowly felt more at peace.

"Thank you." He said softly.

Even speaking felt wrong because it broke the silence.

Wei Ying was only slightly shorter than Lan Zhan, and the way they were standing now, Lan Zhan could tuck him under his chin, and still it was he who felt safer.

Wei Ying smiled in that way where his eyes crinkled at the edges, and his impossibly long lashes dusted over his cheeks.

"That's okay, Lan Zhan." He blushed and stepped back in embarrassment.

They began walking again, resuming their walk up the hilly incline.

But both of them believed that something had changed between them.

***********

It was the gushing noise, the loud, boisterous sound of tons of water plummeting from a great height, that caught Wei Ying’s attention first.

"Lan Zhan!" He said, turning his excited face towards Lan Zhan. "Is that…is that what I think it is?"

Lan Zhan smiled, a real one.

He grabbed Wei Ying's hand and pulled him along, as they broke through the vegetation and came upon a breathtaking sight.

They were standing on huge boulders just a short distance away from a massive waterfall. A lake stretched out under them, its vivid blue waters shimmering under the golden sun. All around them, the open sky welcomed flocks of birds and in the distance, tiny boats dazzled on the surface of the water.

Wei Ying could only stare.

To think that this haven of beauty and peace was so close to where they lived, just a half hour of driving and BAM! Here they were!

He turned in wonder towards Lan Zhan, who happened to be staring back.

Lan Zhan was so beautiful, matching this place in a way. Wei Ying felt in awe of all the radiance surrounding him. Their hands were still joined, and Lan Zhan tugged him forward as they fell into an embrace.

"Only one more day…" Lan Zhan breathed out, the hot air ghosting over Wei Ying’s ear.

Yes…only one day left…

**********

The walk back down was a little hurried, since both of them had worked up an appetite. They were on their way to the car, when it happened.

"WOOF!"

A large dog bounded up towards Lan Zhan and Wei Ying screamed. The owner came running forward and leashed the hound, quickly leading it away, but Lan Zhan was far more concerned with Wei Ying, who was trembling and shaking all over, eyes screwed shut tightly, and little whimpers leaving his mouth.

Lan Zhan picked him up and unlocked the car, this time getting in the back. Wei Ying had curled into the smallest ball, shivering against his chest…and Lan Zhan felt terrible for him. He wrapped his arms around Wei Ying’s smaller frame and held him closer.

Nothing seemed to be working until Lan Zhan began to hum quietly.

It was a new composition, a melody he had begun writing exactly two weeks ago.

Normally, it took him weeks to sound out a new song, the balancing of notes so integral to the sound he wanted to achieve. But this one? In five minutes flat. Another day just to tweak it, and now he was thinking about recording it.

But as he hummed this to Wei Ying, his muse for it, the inspiration behind its creation, Lan Zhan wanted to hug it close, keep it just for them.

"I'm sorry, Wei Ying. I did not know…about the dogs." He whispered, later when Wei Ying seemed calmer.

"No…I didn't…I should have told you. I just never thought…when we came here, there wasn't anyone around and so I thought, I thought that it was safe."

"It's not your fault." Lan Zhan told him.

He produced a white handkerchief and wiped his face.

"Will you be okay to sit in the front, or would you like to stay here? In the back?"

His voice was so soothing, it was making Wei Ying feel much better.

"I can climb into the front." He said, after thinking about it.

"Good boy." Lan Zhan bends to kiss his forehead. "I'll help you."

It's surprisingly easy for Wei Ying to do it, and in no time at all, Lan Zhan is reaching across his body to fasten his seat belt.

All the way home, Wei Ying is quiet.

Lan Zhan glances at him whenever they stop at a traffic light, and he's concerned because he's never seen the normally animated man be this silent and unmoving. So he makes an executive decision to drive back to his own home.

It is a gated community and as far as he knows, no one owns a dog.

He parks in his spot, and that's when Wei Ying starts talking.

"Before…before the Jiangs took me in, I was in the system. No one really wants older children and I was seven when they found me. I stayed in a sort of orphanage, like a kind of halfway house…and they had big dogs. Mostly for security, but they didn't feed them well, so they were extra hungry at night. And there were bullies. One time…one time, I was locked outside." He lifted his t-shirt sleeve to show Lan Zhan a big scar.

Lan Zhan was shocked.

He reached across the gearbox and hugged him.

"I'm sorry about what you had to go through." He said, gently. "I guess we both had a bad time when we were little."

"Thank you for looking after me…back there." Wei Ying sniffed. And then he looked around as if for the first time. "Where are we?"

"My home. I have a surprise for Wei Ying. And we did not get to share the picnic." Lan Zhan got out of his side and came around to open the door for Wei Ying.

"I guess I kind of messed up our day out. And we didn't cover any of your needs…for tomorrow." Wei Ying said, quietly.

"I think I will be alright." Lan Zhan replied with a twinkle in his eye.

"Really?" Wei Ying asked him, trotting next to him as he went to collect the cooler bag from the trunk.

"Mn. Really." Lan Zhan said, as he pressed the button to close the boot and fished out his apartment keys.

"This is a swanky place." Wei Ying said as they entered the elevator.

"Not as nice as yours…" Lan Zhan had seen where Wei Ying lived and thought it was in an even better location.

"But Lan Zhan…" Wei Ying tapped his nose, an endearing habit that made Lan Zhan want to kiss his nose.

One more day, Lan Zhan promised himself…

Wei Ying was still talking. "So I think one of us has been a little bit naughty…" he said as they got out of the lift and walked to Lan Zhan’s apartment.

"Mn?"

"Well…if you're going to be okay tomorrow, then how come you insisted on coaching today?"

Uh oh…

Lan Zhan decided not to answer.

He marched into the kitchen area, hoping Wei Ying was following him. He wasn't disappointed.

"Lan Zhan? Let's use that as a training thing! How are you gonna distract me, then?" Wei Ying said.

There was a split second of clarity before Lan Zhan ditched it and grabbed Wei Ying's shoulders, pushing him up against the wall.

Their lips fused together in a powerful kiss that had Wei Ying seeing stars. Lan Zhan’s lips were so soft as he expertly teased open Wei Ying’s mouth to plunder the riches within, as they both sighed into the kiss. Lan Zhan’s big palm had cradled Wei Ying’s head so it didn't bang against the fridge. He could feel Wei Ying holding onto him for dear life, his hands clutching chunkfuls of Lan Zhan’s shirt in a desperate need to hold onto something.

Lan Zhan was in heaven.

All that waiting…when they could have been doing this!

Warm and soft, but somehow all the stronger for it. And he was kissing Lan Zhan back! That was what he found so hard to believe. That Wei Ying was all for this, holding him close and kissing him like his life depended on it. Holding him even closer, like they fit together perfectly.

Wei Ying’s stomach rumbled and they broke apart.

After that, Lan Zhan made him sit down on a blanket he spread in the living room, refusing to touch him again until after they had eaten.

Wei Ying grumbled about that, but he helped Lan Zhan unpack the picnic food, pouting until he saw the beautiful snacks Lan Zhan had made just for their day out. Wei Ying insisted on taking pictures of everything and posting it on social media, making Lan Zhan feel extra special.

"Now, Wei Ying must close his eyes." Lan Zhan said, once their meal was over.

Wei Ying folded his legs and sat obediently, shutting his eyes. A pillow was placed in his lap and then he felt the weight of something so soft and fluffy, he was scared to move.

"Open your eyes." Lan Zhan told him.

Wei Ying did and gasped straight away.

In his lap was the fluffiest, floofiest puddle of black fur, a bunny with ears that were stuck up. He let the bunny sniff his fingers first, and only when the bun seemed comfortable, did he begin to stroke its back.

"What are they called?" Wei Ying whispered, not wanting to scare them, because he noticed another white one coming towards him.

"That is Cinna-Bun, and this is Coco. They're English Angora bunnies."

Lan Zhan knows all about bunnies and the rest of the afternoon is spent playing with the buns while Lan Zhan tells Wei Ying all about them. They're rather active, and Wei Ying sets up an activity course for them, just to keep them active.

All too soon, it is time for Wei Ying to go home.

Lan Zhan makes him wear his sweater as soon as he sees Wei Ying shiver, turning up the heat in his car. He didn't want the day to end, though.

Spending the day with someone who cared…it made him see what a lonely life he was living. And for the first time in his life, he was thinking about changing it.

"Do you want me to be there tomorrow, at the interview?" Wei Ying was saying.

"Yes. Please." Lan Zhan replied, glancing at him while driving to Wei Ying’s apartment.

"Okay, I'll be there. Remember, we've got to make them our friends." Wei Ying said, brightly.

"Mn."

"Don't be too stressed about it."

"Mn."

"Do those exercises I showed you."

"Mn."

Lan Zhan smiled.

Sometimes, actions spoke louder than words.

***********

Lan Zhan wasn't lying when he said he could cope with the interview. He aced every question with politeness and grace, speaking eloquently to the journalists, because there was more than one.

When the questions became too difficult, Lan Zhan entertained them with a funny story about a fan who had come to see his show and dropped her ticket outside the auditorium. It was picked up by a security guard and handed back to her. That's when she found out that she was at the wrong show. It was all sorted out in the end.

Lan Zhan was so relieved when at the end of the day, he heard the reporters talking amongst themselves, telling each other what a pleasure it was to come here and speak with Lan WangJi, how the horror stories about him being the most uncooperative interviewee must be fake, and how they had too much material, now.

Lan XiChen was standing to one side, next to an impatiently waiting Wei Ying and they both congratulated him.

"Xiongzhang…excuse us." Lan Zhan murmured, taking Wei Ying’s hand and pulling him out of the stifling room. "I must speak with Wei Ying." He didn't even wait for XiChen to say anything.

He found the first empty room and marched inside. This entire floor was hired by the magazine and they could use any.

Lan Zhan closed the door behind them.

And locked it.

Wei Ying was standing there, looking as beautiful as ever.

There was only one thing Lan Zhan wanted to say.

"Date me."

Wei Ying was already nodding.

He didn't know who moved first and then, just like yesterday, they were kissing.

Only this one was sweeter, because now they were free to do whatever they wanted to.

THE END

***********

A/N

Dear lovely Readers,

Thank you guys so much for reading. I had a silly thought this morning and this is the result. I hope you guys like it…and see you tomorrow!

Good night,

Charlie.