An Almost Lan

Chapter 23

A/N: AU and OOC, just a reminder.

Thank you for your votes and comments, they really encourage me!

Thanks to @CALActorsTypist on Twitter for editing this, remaining errors are all mine.

Warnings: We all miss Xue Yang, don't we?

Waking up with a terrible headache was not something Lan Zhan had ever foreseen experiencing. This was a first for him and he felt terrible. He sat on his bed, gripping on his bedsheets and trying to recognize his surroundings, a bit disoriented. It finally sank in, he was in his room. The big question was, how did he get there? He didn't remember.

The dryness sensation in his mouth was uncomfortable, but the mere idea of moving at the moment seemed a daunting task. Slowly moving his head to scan around his room in search of he really didn't know what, he located a glass of water on his bedside table. It was not the only thing there, beside it there was a couple of tablets and a note.

Upon a closer inspection of the package the tablets were wrapped in, he discovered they were aspirins. It made sense. He had a pounding headache and someone, most probably the person that tucked him in, had the forethought of leaving him something to help him with that.

Without giving more thought to it, he took the tablets and the water and promptly swallowed them. Then, with the corner of his eye, he saw a piece of paper, it was a note. Curious, he took it and started reading.

'Hi Lan Zhan. I figured these could help you feel better. I don't know if they work for you (have you taken them before for a hangover?). Sorry, I digress. Anyway, I really hope they can help you. W.Y.'

Suddenly the room started spinning. Wei Ying saw him like that! He was...drunk! Did he say anything? He was beyond worried and mortified about the possibility of spilling his secret in that state.

In all honesty, he didn't remember much. They had been celebrating. The team had just qualified for an international tournament and they decided to go to an impromptu party. His state of mind was very removed from a festive mood, but this was his team, so he made an effort.

They decided on going to a hot pot place. It seemed to be a very good one and also hip, at least those were the comments his teammates were offering. Soon, alcohol started flowing among the group and he was, of course, offered some. He remembered refusing politely, but then he watched his captain, Nie Mingjue eating some of the spiciest dishes they had on the menu, and memories of Wei Ying invaded him.

He wasn't eavesdropping, he really wasn't, but he heard a couple of his team members discussing how alcohol really helped one of them to get over his heart break after his ex-girlfriend dumped him for a motor bike racer.

The notion of alcohol helping with a heartbreak didn't really compute in Lan Zhan's brain, but it had been too much to endure for so long. His longing and guilt had made a dent on his strength. He just wanted a respite, a moment of peace. Would it be so bad? He wondered completely disregarding his common sense that was all but shouting at him in his head that this was a very bad idea.

On a whim, he grabbed a glass, served himself a drink, and downed it down his throat in one go under the watchful stares of some astonished team members who witnessed it, including Nie Mingjue, the team captain.

The rest of the night passed in a blur, he remembered fragments of it, scattered images, but nothing coherent enough for him to form a picture of how things went down.

Still in a daze, he got up and beelined towards the ensuite bathroom. He had to pee and to splash some water on his face to clear his mind. He did it perfunctorily, staying a bit longer than necessary in front of the bathroom mirror, wondering how he could fuck everything up so efficiently. That must be a gift, he speculated.