Courtship Rite

Betrothal Gifts

Wei Ying woke to the same empty room. Fuck, yesterday hadn't been a nightmare. He sat up on the bed and felt as if he could fall straight back down. He never should have taken that pill. Yeah, drugs might put you to sleep, but they left you exhausted the next day.

How much longer would he be, well, he couldn't say safe. He wasn't safe. How much longer until he was disturbed. That was a good word for it. This place was disturbing, and he was disturbed. That little man last night, he'd never introduced himself, but he'd said Wei Ying wouldn't be disturbed until tomorrow, which meant today.

Wei Ying's breath quickened. His heart started pounding. No, no, no, don't panic. He dug fingernails into his arm, deeper and deeper, focusing on the pain, until his breathing had calmed.

How late was it? He looked out the window, too small to climb through, and discovered he was too high up to escape even if he could fit. He couldn't see the sun, but by the shadows it must be mid-day, sometime between two and three maybe?

The lock clicked in the door. He threw himself into the corner, pulling his robe tighter as if that could protect him. A man stepped into the room. He was dressed like the guards Wei Ying had seen yesterday. He ran a hand above the door frame. Had he pulled something down? He did the same to the bathroom door frame and then vanished into the bathroom.

Before he stepped back out, Lan Wangji walked through the door. "Good afternoon, my love."

The other man stepped out of the bathroom. Lan Wangji's glare suggested the other man was a bug beneath his shoe. "What are you doing here?"

The other man looked terrified. "Removing detection devices, sir." He stuttered out a panicked, "Your brother's orders, sir."

Detection devices? Like spy cameras? Was this room bugged?

"Have you removed them all?"

"Yes. Yes, sir."

"Then leave."

Lan Wangji's gaze, when he turned to face Wei Ying, seemed blank, expressionless. "I apologize. My brother will never bug your room again."

"Um, thanks?"

Lan Wangji just stood there, staring at him. What did he want? Wei Ying couldn't stand the silence and blurted out. "Good afternoon." What had that little man called Lan Wangji? Oh, yeah. "Uh, young master."

Lan Wangji's expression didn't change. Like, literally, he hadn't moved a muscle, but he looked angry. Shit. Why? That little man, he'd said apologize. For what? For not being happy that I've been kidnapped? Sorry for freaking out after you kidnapped me.

"You used to call me Wangji. And gege."

He wants me to call him gege? He fucking kidnapped me and wants me to call him gege? Wei Ying's thoughts flew back to the previous night, to that thug, the one who would hurt him if he didn't go along with Lan Wangji. That guy got off on pain, not his own pain but on hurting others. Nobody'd said exactly that, but you could just tell. "Sorry, Lan, uh, Wangji. I guess I'm just feeling formal this morning."

"Wei Ying need never be formal with me."

A young woman pushed in a cart. She set up two chairs and a table, laying out covered containers, of food maybe, and two place settings. She didn't look up once the entire time and scurried out fast.

Lan Wangji gestured to the chair furthest from the door. "Join me for breakfast."

Oh, he really didn't want to eat with Lan Wangji. "Breakfast? I thought it was afternoon."

"You just woke. I thought you would prefer breakfast. I can arrange lunch."

And have you just standing there, all creepy and disturbing, while we wait for lunch? No, thank you. "No, no, breakfast's fine."

Breakfast wasn't fine. Congee so bland he could barely choke it down. Ugh, but he sure as hell wasn't asking Lan Wangji to spice it up. They didn't speak. At all. Wei Ying didn't have anything to say. He knew he was supposed to apologize for hurting Lan Wangji's feelings after the man had him kidnapped. As if.

When they finished, Lan Wangji took his hand to help him to his feet. Wei Ying suppressed a shudder and plastered on a smile. There was no way it didn't look strained, but it was the best he could do. As the same young woman took the cart away, along with the table and chairs, Wei Ying tried to calm his racing heart.

Lan Wangji brought Wei Ying's hand to his lips and kissed it. Wei Ying's heartbeat ratcheted back up. "Remove your robe."

Wei Ying grabbed at the robe, holding it closed. "Lan Wangji, so shameless."

His breath hitched as Lan Wangji reached for his belt and started untying the knot. "I have made my intentions clear."

Fuck, he couldn't disagree with that given the only thing he had to wear was this black lace teddy that hid nothing. Lan Wangji pushed the robe off his shoulders and gasped as it hit the floor. "Wei Ying is so beautiful."

Lan Wangji stepped closer for a kiss. Wei Ying drew back in a bolt of panic. Lan Wangji grabbed his arms and pulled him closer. Was he growling? "No," Wei Ying shouted. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. It's just ... just ... I've never ... I mean, uh, first time." Was that his excuse? First time? Was that even plausible?

"Wei Ying is untouched?"

Eyes wide, Wei Ying nodded. Did Lan Wangji want someone experienced? Would he let Wei Ying go? Wei Ying wouldn't say anything, not ever. He'd just leave and be happy to get his life back.

"I did not know Wei Ying could be even more perfect."

Fuck. Fuck. Was it too late to say he'd had hundreds of lovers? Thousands?

"I will be gentle with Wei Ying."

Lan Wangji wasn't gentle. In the aftermath, Wei Ying curled himself on the bed, pulling his legs into his chest. Lan Wangji spooned in behind him, kissing the bite mark on his shoulder. Wei Ying had screamed through that bite, but Lan Wangji had merely looked pleased. "Now everyone will know Wei Ying is mine."

Go away, go away, go away. The words ran through Wei Ying's head, but Lan Wangji wasn't leaving. He wrapped an arm around Wei Ying and pulled him closer with a sigh. "Wei Ying never thanked me for the betrothal gifts."

The what? Wei Ying scrambled off the bed and dashedfor the toilet, barely making it before he started puking.