7 Dates

Asking out

That Louis and Leon Lucky not eaten any glass or paint was a mark of their genius, intelligence, and beauty.

They were fine. Totally healthy and fine, and also currently locked in Jiang Cheng's bedroom so that he could clean the living room.

He eyed the glittering mess on his couch and floor and felt the stress of the morning pile onto his shoulders like sacks of heavy grain. Surely he could not be expected to clean a thing while also carrying 60 additional pounds of duress on his back. He was tired after four hours at the vet's and fewer hours of sleep, and the glass was simply everywhere, in the crannies between cushions, between the bristles of his rug, sticking up from the floorboards.

"I simply have to move," Jiang Cheng said, throwing his hands into the air. That was the easiest solution. He'd move, buy a new couch, and set up a new cat tower. He could do it. He made a decent living with the clients he had.

Too bad he'd lose Hot Neighbor if he relocated, though.

Lan Xichen had left the cookies on his kitchen counter before he went back to his own apartment this morning. Jiang Cheng moped over to the kitchen, pondering if he truly had enough money saved to move, say, tomorrow, and opened the container.

The delicious, nutty aroma of butter and sugar and chocolate instantly shot into his nostrils and straight to his brain. He inhaled one chocolate chip cookie before he even registered he'd picked it up, and was licking the sticky melted chocolate from his fingers from his second before he thought to pause and actually enjoy the experience of eating the treats.

Each cookie looked perfectly baked, a little crunchy around the circumference and soft and gooey in the middle. The chocolate was actually chunks and not chips, which Jiang Cheng thought was the superior choice to make as it gave the eater a richer chocolate experience. Lan Xichen had even sprinkled flaky salt over the cookies to give each bite that added layer of flavor.

Polishing off his third cookie, Jiang Cheng took out his phone with his clean hand and dialed Xichen, putting him on speaker.

"Jiang Cheng?" Xichen answered on the first ring. "How are you? Everything okay?"

"Hey. I'm okay. Did you mean it when you said you'd help me clean up?" He asked.

"Of course I meant it. I wouldn't offer if I didn't mean it. Are you home?"

"Yes," Jiang Cheng said. "And it would be nice, I mean. If you're not busy."

"I'm not busy," Lan Xichen said. "Give me a few minutes."

Jiang Cheng's heart squeezed in his chest. This was dangerous territory.

An hour later, the living room was free of life-threatening glass bits and Xichen was helping him with the overturned cat tower and easel. Earlier, Jiang Cheng had checked the painting and designs he was working on, after finding it completely intact and dry, propped it against the wall with the art hidden. Now Lan Xichen picked it up, turning it around while Jiang Cheng was readjusting the legs of his easel and distracted.

Lan Xichen whistled. "Wow. Did you paint this?"

Jiang Cheng jolted forward and took the large canvas from Xichen's hands, hiding the art against his chest. "No! I mean, yes! I did. But it's dumb. Don't look at it."

"What's dumb about Louis-that was Louis, right?-looking like Godzilla against the backdrop of the city?"

"It's just for fun. My other stuff. My real stuff is better."

Lan Xichen grinned, and the softness in his eyes shot tranq darts into Jiang Cheng's kneecaps. Wow, was that a powerful look. "This looks pretty real to me. Regardless, your other stuff must be amazing." He reached out a hand. "Can I?"

Xichen had waited for Jiang Cheng for an hour this morning because he was worried he was hurt (i.e., dead). He had brought him cookies because it was the neighborly thing to do. He'd helped him clean the glass from his couch and floor and hummed along to the pop music playing from Jiang Cheng's phone as they worked. He had checked Jiang Cheng's hands over for glass when Jiang Cheng felt something sharp prick against his skin, his touch sure and steady, his fingers warm.

Jiang Cheng held the canvas out, and Xichen took it and whistled again.

"It's really good, Jiang Cheng," he said, eyes scanning over the piece. "Seriously."

"Thank you," Jiang Cheng said in his mouse voice that took over when he was shy or embarrassed or really turned on. "It's for. Well, it's stupid, but it's for this idea I have. For a upcoming event."

"That doesn't sound stupid; that sounds delightful." Jiang Cheng thought only Xichen could use the word delightful unironically in a sentence and have it sound so sincere. Was it delightful? He didn't think so before, but now that Xichen mentioned it, yeah, it was really delightful! "I'd love to know more. Are you a fashion designer?"

So Jiang Cheng let Louis and Lucky out of his room and made some jasmine tea in the kitchen, and Xichen stayed and they sat on his newly-safe-to-sit-on couch, chatting about Jiang Cheng's job and idea for his work, talking about the work Xichen do, and reminiscing about the day Lan Xichen moved in and brought cookies to each of his neighbors on this floor.

"Double chocolate, I remember." Jiang Cheng sighed at the fond memory. "To be honest, I thought it was so weird you wanted to get everyone's number right away. I mean, I get it now. For safety and for emergencies. But I've lived here for 3 years now and I barely ever talk to Han shiyue in 3A."

Xichen's smile was hidden behind his mug of tea. "Jiang Cheng," he said finally after a long moment of him staring at Jiang Cheng and Jiang Cheng missing whatever point he was trying to make with his eyes.

"What?"

"I didn't get everyone's number. I just got your number."

"No, you-" Jiang Cheng's ears felt hot. His chest felt hot. Lucky hopped into his lap and planted his face into his stomach, which Jiang Cheng wished he could do to Lucky instead. Meanwhile, Louis had nuzzled up to Xichen's side and fallen asleep with Xichen's hand curved over his little head. "I see," Jiang Cheng said.

"I wanted to ask you out sooner," Xichen admitted. "But I got caught up with setting everything up in the apartment."

Jiang Cheng frowned. "Well, now that you've seen me in my underwear and panicking about my cat and dog, how do you feel?"

"Possibly even more intent on asking you out for dinner," Xichen said.

"Ah," Jiang Cheng breathed. "Because you like the shape of my legs?"

"Because you're funny and interesting, and you love your pets so much. And I think it would be really nice to take you on a date. Also, you kind of owe me for making me think you were dead."

"I didn't make you think-"

"I'm kidding." Lan Xichen tilted his head to the side, reminding Jiang Cheng of a curious pet. "So? What do you say?" Go on a date with me?"

It was kind of a no-brainer. Lan Xichen was easy to talk to, kind, handsome, and clearly very forward with praise and compliments. And something about him made Jiang Cheng want to open the door into his heart and invite him in to take a look, to stay awhile. He believed Xichen would be gentle with what he found.

"yes, no, go on 7 dates with me. If you still don't feel anything about me the-"

"You will back off?"

"NO WAY! I will think about different ways to make you fall in love with you"

"Okay," he said, sinking his fingers into Lucky's' soft fluffy fur to give him strength. "How about tomorrow night?"

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