Fluffy WangXian Oneshots

There's a Book....Part 6

"To see a world in a grain of sand..." William Blake

"Surprise me." Lan Zhan had said.

Wei Ying raced off towards the fiction shelves, because today thank goodness, he knew he was going for his second choice from last time.

Lan Zhan was patiently waiting for him, seated at their table with a pile of books ready for Wei Ying to look through. Wei Ying handed him the book.

"The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown." Lan Zhan turned it over, but Wei Ying covered the blurb with his palm.

Lan Zhan looked up at him, and for a few seconds, neither spoke, lost in their own world.

Lan Zhan was memorising every glint of steel, the sparkle of shimmering silver highlighting his beautiful eyes and suddenly that word, beautiful, was woefully inadequate for what he was falling into. The deep depths of jewelled brightness reflected back a kindness that Lan Zhan had never seen before, deeper than that which he had seen in his brother's eyes. Here was an understanding, no need for useless words when a look spoke volumes instead.

Wei Ying saw himself reflected back within the dark pupils, surrounded by a halo of gold. Darker amber flecks glittered dangerously, intense like liquid honey, fathomless, deeper than any well. Wei Ying felt giddy with some undefined emotion, the likes of which he had never felt before.

"Don't read that. Do you trust me?"

"Mn." As Lan Zhan said the word, he was astounded to find that yes, it was true. He did trust Wei Ying.

"Alright, then please don't. This book has an impact. It's intense, a roller coaster ride, and by reading that, you'll spoil it for yourself. And remember, it's just a book." Wei Ying sat down opposite him, flustered for some unknown reason.

Lan Zhan thought those were dangerous words.

Just a book...

Wei Ying reached for his first one, slightly nervous about what Lan Zhan was going to read. Would he like it? Or not? And why, in case it was the latter?

"Excuse me?"

A soft, hushed voice had both of them looking up at the person who interrupted them.

The lady was balancing a toddler on her hip and held another child's hand, that one was maybe five years old.

"Hello." Wei Ying replied pleasantly, wondering what she wanted.

He could feel Lan Zhan staring at his face and strove for control, willing himself to concentrate on the lady instead.

"I'm sorry to bother you, but I was here on Saturday afternoon, and we were lucky enough to catch you reading to your son. My Owen wanted to know if you were going to be here on this Saturday too? Or any other day?" She kept her voice low, mindful of the rules.

Wei Ying could feel his face getting hotter with every word she spoke, and he was itching to cover his face by the time she stopped speaking.

"That's not...I mean, it's not...a regular thing." He finally said, not daring to look at Lan Zhan.

Just how many rules had he broken by that little episode alone? He shuddered internally.

"Would Wei Ying like it to be?"

His deep voice had goosebumps breaking out all over Wei Ying's body and he shivered, trying to control himself. He looked up, vaguely aware of the cheering child next to him, and the happy sigh of encouragement from the lady. But looking up into those golden orbs meant forgetting what they were talking about.