Lan WangJi was fretting.

Mianmian had convinced him to go for the dating app and now after putting his photograph in it he could not resist writing the bottom phrase.

It was simply the truth, that as he wished not to waste anybody else's time, no one else should apply except for Wei Ying.

But after the disaster that was today, he was second guessing himself.

It all started after he met Huaisang and Jiang Cheng for lunch. They had brought a friend over from across the road, Mianmian, whom Lan WangJi had heard of but never met.

Together they had convinced him to set up his dating profile, even going so far as to fill it in for him. And when they had asked him about specific requirements, that's when he had grabbed his phone back and filled in the rest by himself.

When he sat back, satisfied that he had done his best, and it was as good as taking a cheerleading band to Wei Ying himself and announcing his intentions via megaphone.

Three pairs of eyes stared back at him, and then Jiang Cheng had snatched his phone back to look.

"That ought to do it." He had claimed, finally smiling for the first time during that lunch time.

But as the day wore on and the minutes ticked by, Lan WangJi was filled with trepidation. And then, in the middle of the meeting, he had a call and put Wei Ying on speakerphone because his hands were busy. Technically, the meeting had not begun yet, with just a few people pottering in and out before the important ones got there.

But just when he tried to hang up, Wei Ying had added that last bit and declared he loved Lan WangJi.

Right when he was trying to tape together a box holding a bunch of fliers. Of course the tape slipped and the box fell on the floor and the fliers flew.

Everywhere.

No one dared to laugh at him. Not to his face anyway, and Lan WangJi was too busy wondering what Wei Ying had said, and wasn't that just his ears playing tricks on him, there was no way Wei Ying would say something like that...right?

Did he imagine it?

But every time he tried to call Wei Ying after that, the phone just went to voicemail and now he was wondering whether Wei Ying had actually seen his dating app page, and if so, why wasn't he answering? Or...and this was so much worse, what if he had seen his page and that was the reason why he wasn't answering??

All this thinking was making his head hurt.

But Wei Ying had promised to see him tonight.

And Lan WangJi was going to make it count.

He finished his work as fast as he could, and then went to talk to his boss to beg off work a half an hour early.

Luckily or not, word had spread about the board meeting and his boss was a kind soul. He let Lan WangJi go with a smile and a kind word.

Lan WangJi went to the grocery store on his way home. He bought all the ingredients he would need for lotus root and pork rib soup, Wei Ying’s favourite dish. Then he came home and began making it.

It was eight o'clock.

Wei Ying would be home soon and Lan WangJi wanted to be ready. He set the table, even added a couple of candles to set the atmosphere, but he drew the line at sprinkling rose petals on the table.

He had a speech prepared too, one that explained to Wei Ying how they could be really compatible and please could Wei Ying give him a chance? And if it looked like Wei Ying wasn't happy with his suggestion, then Lan WangJi was going to say fine, he was ready to accept anything Wei Ying had in mind.

He could stay quietly in their apartment and look after Wei Ying, make sure he was fit and well, and that would be enough.

At least he hoped it would be.

At ten o'clock and no word from Wei Ying, still no answer either via message, Lan WangJi was in despair.

What if Wei Ying was upset with him?

What if Wei Ying wasn't coming home?

What if Lan WangJi had driven Wei Ying away by being too forward?

When his phone chimed, Lan WangJi lunged at it. He almost didn't open it when he saw Jiang Cheng's name on the notification, but wisely he had put Wei Ying’s name right at the beginning, so Lan WangJi checked.

JC: Wei WuXian is slightly drunk, I'm bringing him home to you now. ETA ten minutes.

Alright...now Lan WangJi had even more questions.

Why had Wei Ying gone to his brother’s home and not come back here?

Why was he drunk?

What exactly had happened...and was the reason...could it be because Wei Ying couldn’t face him?

***********

Back at Jiang Cheng's place, Huaisang had come home just in time to see Jiang Cheng holding out his phone and making Wei WuXian read the bottom line.

Out loud.

And then the mad dash towards their front door by Wei WuXian when really, he was in no fit state to walk in a straight line.

Huaisang held him at bay with a single finger at Wei WuXian’s chest.

"How much has he had to drink?" He asked Jiang Cheng.

"He was on his third one..." Jiang Cheng was picking up the empty cans for the recycling bin.

"So a couple of mugs of black coffee and he'll be right as rain." Huaisang grabbed his shoulders and turned a wailing Wei WuXian around to lead him into their kitchen.

"I wanna go see Lan Zhan! Let me goooo!" Wei WuXian was in a petulant mood.

"In a moment, alright?" Huaisang soothed, making the coffee extra strong just in case this was his only shot. "Here. I'll hold your nose and you just concentrate on chugging it down."

Wei Ying nodded and drank like he was told to. Huaisang handed him a banana to soothe away the taste of the bitter drink.

The walk to the door was much straighter so that was definitely a plus point. Huaisang turned him around just as they got there.

"Now listen to me." He said, putting his hands on Wei Ying’s shoulders.

Wei Ying nodded, far more seriously than before.

"Don't botch this up. You can’t because Lan WangJi feels exactly the same as you do. Fighting!"

"Fighting!" Wei Ying fist bumped him.

Jiang Cheng led him to his car and after making sure Wei WuXian had his seat belt on correctly, fired off a quick text to alert Lan WangJi that they were on their way.

Wei Ying was full of nervous energy.

All this time...

All this time Lan Zhan had been burning a torch for him?? He still couldn't believe it.  Wei Ying had spent the better part of the year dropping hints like confetti to no avail. He had tried every one of Mianmian's suggestions, including dropping a tea towel right in front of Lan Zhan’s face, so that when he bent down, his backside was at eye level.

He had made sure they shared a bowl of popcorn every movie night, with one blanket thrown over their laps and Wei Ying plastered to Lan Zhan’s side.

Still nothing.

Either Lan Zhan possessed the will power of a sloth wanting to sleep, or he simply wasn't interested.

And yet, Jiang Cheng was right.

All those little details that he had noticed were by themselves, nothing much. But when he put them together, they added up to someone who simply wouldn't bother if he didn't care.

Who picked out the choicest morsels of food and put them in his plate?

Who kept filling his tea and water glasses?

Who kept him company when he wanted to watch a scary film?

Who cooked and cleaned for him?

Lan Zhan did.

And now Wei Ying felt a little ashamed.

Other than pine away silently for this elusive man, what had Wei WuXian done for Lan WangJi?

Lost in his thoughts, he didn't even realise they had pulled up outside his apartment block until Jiang Cheng shook him out of his reverie.

"We're here. Will you be okay getting in, or do you want company?"

"I'll be fine." Wei Ying got out of the car, with Jiang Cheng staring intently at his every action, making sure he was sober enough.

Wei Ying paused and bent down, looking into the car at Jiang Cheng.

"Cheng Cheng...thanks for tonight. I had nowhere else to go...and ...thank you." He finished, repeating himself.

"Don't call me that! And you're welcome." Jiang Cheng softened his voice at the end. "And if that tight fisted marble faced idiot rejects you, there's a couch waiting in my place with your name on it. It says imbecile on it, in case you're wondering..." He grinned.

"Thanks...Stinky..." Wei WuXian smiled, hitting back more out of habit than any heat.

This camaraderie was only possible with one person in the whole wide world, and he was right here whenever Wei WuXian needed him.

"Bye Smelly...now get inside. I'll wait for ten minutes, in case you need a ride."

Wei WuXian nodded, and straightened up.

He squared his shoulders and marched to the doors that would lead him inside.

*********

Lan WangJi heard the key in the door.

He had been staring at his phone for ten long minutes, watching the seconds tick by and wondering what he was going to say.

He stood up, walking towards the sound of Wei Ying's running feet and suddenly he could not wait.

He stopped as soon as Wei Ying appeared, drinking in the sight of this beautiful man. His hair was a tangled mess of red ribbon and loose strands, framing that much missed gorgeous face. His stunning eyes so vivid and bright shone with unspoken questions, and then he fished around in his pockets, looking for something.

Wei Ying couldn’t take his eyes away from Lan Zhan’s face. Those heavenly golden eyes were staring back at him with a fiery need, held back by the minimum of control. His smooth skin so flawlessly good-looking...and his hair. Waves of ebony glorious and free, and Wei Ying wanted to sink his hands into that rich texture, wanting to feel him.

But he had to know something first.

His fingers found his phone.

A quick glance to make sure he had the correct page, and then he was shoving his phone in front of Lan Zhan’s face.

It was Lan Zhan’s page on the dating app.

"Did you mean it?" He asked urgently, a silver fire burning in his gaze.

"Yes."

That single word.

Not his usual 'mn' but a definite affirmative.

Wei Ying flung his phone on the couch not caring where it landed, because in that same moment he threw himself into Lan Zhan’s arms.

This first kiss, this meeting of their mouths so tentative yet filled with tenderness was an echo of years gone by, the passing of time where nothing remained constant except for this.

Magical and exhilarating, this kiss was an exploration, a fulfilling of need and an urgency of wanting something denied for so long. Soft mouths, soft lips, each wet slide a promise and a vow.

Wei Ying could not believe kissing Lan Zhan was so delightful. He could feel large hands, hot on his back holding him safely in place, while his lips plundered Wei Ying’s mouth. Scorching kisses one after another as if he couldn’t bear to let go, a desperation born from feelings kept buried.

And Wei Ying understood because his own hands fluttered like twin butterflies, holding onto Lan Zhan’s shoulders because he was allowed to do this.

Finally.

His fingers, itching to touch that luxurious hair, wanting to know if it was as soft as he thought it might be, and finding out that yes, it was even silkier than he expected. Wei Ying tugged and Lan Zhan growled, his fingers reaching further down to grip the soft curves in his hands.

Wei Ying moaned and that sound travelled from his mouth into Lan Zhan, straight into his chest. It made his knees weak and somehow he managed to sit down on their couch, hands still full of Wei Ying, mouths still fused together.

Breathing was an unfortunate necessity but Wei Ying snuggled closer, resting his cheek on Lan Zhan’s chest, listening to his thunderous heartbeat.

Lan Zhan could not grasp this reality.

How was it that Wei Ying was finally here, within the safety of his arms and it not be a dream?

"Lan Zhan..." Wei Ying was struggling to put his thoughts into actual words.

"Mn?"

The sound travelled up from the depths of his lungs and Wei Ying followed its progress to the outside and reaching his ears.

"Your voice is so...comforting. I love hearing you speak." He whispered softly.

"Mn. I love listening to Wei Ying."

There was such a surety in his tone.

"Really?" Wei Ying laughed awkwardly. "I always thought...nevermind." He stopped saying exactly the words which appeared in his head.

"What?" But Lan Zhan wanted to know.

Suddenly, he wanted to know everything Wei Ying thought. His every wish, whatever he wanted, Lan Zhan wanted to make it come true.

"I would like to know what Wei Ying is thinking."

His deep timbre made Wei Ying shiver and that in turn made Lan Zhan hold him tighter, as if ...if he let go, Wei Ying would suddenly disappear and this dream would turn into a nightmare.

Wei Ying hugged him once and then leaned back to look into golden eyes full of warmth and affection. There was so much trust and generosity dwelling there, just for him, that it was making Wei Ying giddy.

"I always thought you found me annoying."

Lan Zhan was shaking his head even before the words fully left Wei Ying’s mouth.

"That is not true. I am sorry if I gave Wei Ying that impression." He looked genuinely pained.

"It's not your fault...I must be exceptionally thick when it comes to you." Wei Ying smiled sadly.

"Wei Ying is not thick." Lan Zhan insisted, annoyed at him for even suggesting such a thing. "I may not have been...clear enough." He thought back to a few days ago when he had inadvertently encouraged Wei Ying to broaden his search.

He cringed.

"I thought you couldn't possibly want someone like me. I'm a slob, I can't cook to save my life, and maybe...you deserve someone better-mpfh!"

Lan Zhan stole his breath, fixing his lips on a mouth that should know better. Gone was the softness that began only minutes ago, replaced with bruising kisses no less addictive and inspiring.

Wei Ying panted into his mouth, tasting the richness of his tongue, and wanting more, more, more.

Teeth clashed, tongues collided and Wei Ying felt dizzy with love.

Was that what this was?

A burgeoning feeling, like waves crashing upon a shore, a musical crescendo that burst into the air like bright fireworks, never to be extinguished again.

His heart was beating so fast, he was sure Lan Zhan could hear it, feel it as it tried to burst out of his chest.

Lan Zhan bit his bottom lip, teasing, mending with a swipe of his warm tongue.

He followed it up with these words. "I love you. Love Wei Ying."

Wei Ying stared back in wonder. His fingers lifted up to trace over the bite on his lips as he pondered Lan Zhan’s statement.

"I...I think I have always been in love with you. How could I not?" His hand gestured up and down as if that explained it, while his eyes filled with tears.

He had been waiting so long, every day yawning into an endless torture, trying to get up the nerves to confess. And his each attempt backfiring and making him think he was just imagining those sultry looks, a burn in a glance, gone so quickly that he was second guessing himself.

Warm lips pressed against hot eyelids, too overwhelmed by what he was feeling.

"I should have just come out with it." Wei Ying admitted.

"When did Wei Ying know?" This surreal feeling wasn't going away.

"You did something for me." Wei Ying thought back, trying to remember.

The action itself wasn't important but what he felt as a direct result was.

"We were graduating...and-"

"You forgot your hat." Lan Zhan remembered.

"And you gave me yours." Wei Ying hugged his neck tightly. "All I felt was, here was my everything. I never wanted to let go when we hugged on that day."

"Me too." Lan Zhan confessed.

Today was a day of revelations.

Wei Ying yawned.

"Is Wei Ying hungry?" Lan Zhan wanted to know.

"I ate already. Jiang Cheng made me eat pizza. I went there for the sole reason to get drunk. Like, really wasted." But another thought occurred to him, and his eyes drifted to the laid out table with the candles on it. "Were you waiting for me?"

"It is okay." Lan Zhan looked down, a gradual pink tinged appearing on his ears.

"No! It is not okay. Besides, I only ate two slices. I'm starving!" He stood up, and held out his hand for Lan Zhan to take. "If my man has cooked something for me, then I'm going to eat it. No question about that." He sounded fierce, even to Lan Zhan.

Lan Zhan wished his ears weren't on fire. But he was so pleased!

Wei Ying had called him his man!

"If my man is hungry, I will always cook for him." He promised, an even hungrier look in his amber eyes. "Come."

"Later, for sure." Wei Ying promised, giggling at the double meaning and the widening of golden eyes realising what he meant.

He practically danced to the table.

Lan Zhan had set it so prettily, but there was something wrong, easily fixable.

Wei Ying pushed Lan Zhan to sit at his place, and then moved his plate right next to him.

"Too far away." He explained.

Lan Zhan had hummed along. He waited until Wei Ying sat down.

"Close your eyes. Wei Ying must be patient." He stood up to go to their kitchen.

Wei Ying whined out of frustration, his silver eyes already sparkling with some newly thought of mischief.

Lan Zhan couldn't resist and bent down, capturing his beautiful plump lips in a searing kiss.

Wei Ying wrapped his arms around Lan Zhan’s neck, molding himself to a strong muscular chest, unwilling to let him go.

"Be a good boy." Lan Zhan said against his lips, just as reluctant to let him go.

Wei Ying whined his disinclination.

"There will be more kisses later." Lan Zhan promised, realising that someone out of the two of them had to be the adult.

And it was going to have to be himself.

"Promise?" Silver eyes framed with thick lashes looked deeply into his very soul.

"Promise."

Only then, did Wei Ying untangle himself from Lan Zhan and close his eyes.

Lan Zhan pressed his lips to Wei Ying's forehead, one last promise.

When he returned with hot bowls of soup and reheated garlic bread, Wei Ying was already salivating, knowing what the surprise was even before it was placed before him.

Dinner was eaten quickly, and Wei Ying was surprised to find he was able to do justice to Lan Zhan’s hard work. The meal fuelled his hunger and he ate with gusto.

Lan Zhan smiled at him.

Watching Wei Ying eating always filled him with satisfaction, to know that in this wordless way, he could still care for this delicious man.

Wei Ying was discovering how love could be expressed in the smallest of gestures, seemingly unimportant unless you were the recipient. Lan Zhan had been showing him all this time, how much he cared, and Wei Ying...Wei Ying was too absorbed in trying to get his own feelings expressed.

He finished in record time.

Sitting back and stretching felt so good...

"I couldn't eat another bite." He exclaimed, rubbing his belly.

Lan Zhan smirked.

"What?" Wei Ying asked innocently, smiling back at him.

"No space? Not even for chocolate cake?"

Ah...

"Lan Zhan...you know me so well." Wei Ying said, but his smile was even more flirtatious. "But I wasn't lying, I am quite full...however, I am not averse to sharing..." He looked at Lan Zhan hopefully.

"Mn. As you wish." Lan Zhan left with their dishes.

He was back minutes later with a single slice of the most delicious-looking cake Wei Ying had ever seen.

"I'm still too far away." Wei Ying planted himself on Lan Zhan’s lap, straddling him and holding the bowl in between them.

A different kind of hunger shone from those beautiful golden eyes. Wei Ying speared a bite of creamy chocolatey goodness and held it against Lan Zhan’s lips. He opened them willingly, and as Wei Ying fed him a few bites, he felt that uncontrollable giddiness again that came with the knowledge that he could do this...whenever he wanted.

Lan Zhan waited for Wei Ying to eat some cake himself, but when he didn't, Lan Zhan grabbed the fork and fed him himself, enjoying the way those bright silver eyes became incandescent.

Some cream was left at the corner of Lan Zhan’s lip, and Wei Ying wiped it away with his thumb, putting it into his mouth to lick it clean. He shifted on Lan Zhan’s lap uncomfortably as the evidence of how much it affected them both became apparent.

"We can do the dishes in the morning." Wei Ying protested as Lan Zhan lifted him up, but to his disappointment, Lan Zhan carried him into the kitchen and sat him up on the broken breakfast bar.

Without a word, Lan Zhan disappeared, returning with both their phones.

"Delete my presence from the dating app." He commanded. "And yours?"

Recognising the shadow of uncertainty, Wei Ying nodded enthusiastically and did as he was told, knowing it was what they both wanted.

"You know, I only joined to make you jealous." Wei Ying told him, with a sly smile. "Though I must have the worst luck, seeing as how bad my dates were."

"I thought Wei Ying wanted a change. That's why you stopped being here in the evenings." Lan Zhan confessed.

"What? NO! Oh my God, Lan Zhan...Lan Zhan...I was so scared..." Wei Ying replied,  blushing.

Lan Zhan finished loading the dishwasher and returned to stand in between his knees.

"Of what?" He asked curiously.

Wei Ying pulled him closer by crossing his ankles behind his back.

"I was terrified that...that the need to kiss you would win over my self-control and I wouldn't be able to stop myself. I started finding reasons to stay away."

"Silly Wei Ying. If you had, we would be doing this sooner." Lan Zhan bit the space where his neck met his shoulder, finding that it was the perfect spot to nibble, and living the way Wei Ying moaned, his hands fisting in his hair.

He carried Wei Ying to his bedroom and put him down almost reverently.

"You were just as much to blame as me." Wei Ying replied breathlessly, watching the way Lan Zhan tore away his shirt.

He licked his lips unconsciously, his gaze fixed upon the ridges of the many muscles Lan Zhan had been hiding.

"I have one more question." Lan Zhan said, his smile suggesting that he knew exactly what Wei Ying was thinking. He came closer and stood in between Wei Ying’s legs, deciding that he really liked this position.

His fingers undid the top button of Wei Ying'sshirt, trembling slightly.

"What?" Wei Ying felt his mouth go dry at the raw hunger reflected back in a burning gaze.

"Why did Wei Ying want to get drunk?" He asked, his fingers pausing.

"There were a lot of reasons." Wei Ying gathered his thoughts trying to put them in some kind of order. The last thing he wanted was for Lan Zhan to feel more guilty.

"Tell me?"

Lan Zhan looked down into trusting silver eyes shining in the moonlight coming through their open window. They had not turned on the lights yet and it added a certain intimacy to what they were doing.

Wei Ying covered Lan Zhan’s hands with his own.

"It was a combination of things...I...I was feeling like everything was...just...too much, you know?" He took a deep breath and told him about Meng Yao and the HR department. "But I also didn’t know what to do...about us. I didn't want to date anyone else." Wei Ying choked back a sob. "Lan Zhan, my love, you're it for me. It cannot be anyone else, only you. I fancy you, I love you, I everything you..."

Before he could take another breath, hot lips crashed onto his, stealing every single one of his thoughts. Mind blank and filled with desperation, they came together again and again, need blinding them to everything else.

Later, lying in each other arms, Lan Zhan kissed his forehead warmly, loving the way Wei Ying felt in his arms.

As they drifted off to sleep, Lan Zhan promised Wei Ying that he would spend forever showing him how much he loved him from now on.

THE END

*********

Dear lovely Readers,

I can hear your screams from here...relax, there's going to be an epilogue...

Happy Independence day to everyone celebrating, eat lots of chocolate and cake and ice cream and don't think about tomorrow.

Happy Monday everyone!

Charlie.