JC x LXC one-shots

Jiang Cheng Needs a Little More Love

Jiang Cheng trusts Wei Ying to score him a date for the first time and almost immediately regrets it.

He gets a text with information about the date's location - it's a fancy French restaurant with huge swirling italics on the logo, and it's frankly kind of concerning. He's not the richest guy around the block, and while scrolling down the website's menu for dinner options he could feel his wallet ascending to heaven. A pint of wasabi-looking paste costs just as much as a tub of Nutella.

He isn't the most eligible bachelor. He has a dark and long history with blackmailers lurking on Tinder and since then has developed a flaming hatred for the app. Even way back in middle school, his crushes were tragic, especially that time when his affections were for Wen Ning's hot older sister Wen Qing whom he went out of his way just to watch work her shift at their town's run-down McDonald's.

So, he has terrible luck in romance.

With that being said, wouldn't it be suspicious if he, the black sheep of romance, suddenly scored a man? If fate decided, "Oh we're done with you Jiang Cheng, here's a girlfriend for compensation" there would be a catch?

Oh, that would be so shitty.

You couldn't blame him for being so skeptical about Wei Ying's promise to find him a good date. Knowing just what kind of person Wei Ying is, this could be an elaborate April Fools Day prank five months late. He pictures it clearly – him going into this fancy restaurant with all these expensive ass plates already ordered, and when he looks at the person sitting across him it's just a sack of potatoes with a big, folded letter stuck to it, the words "Got U Jiang Cheng Hahaha" scribbled all over in red sharpie.

But the night is spent so accordingly Jiang Cheng thinks it might be a joke.

Lan Xichen is a gorgeous guy, with defined features lit up by hazy, red-toned candles to set the mood. He's the very definition of a good catch – his aura is gentle and not so abrasive, princely and kind. His conversation topics range flexibly. It's nice. Almost way too nice.

Jiang Cheng wouldn't consider himself an amateur when it came to the art of dating (he's been through so many he can't count them on his fingers anymore), but something about Lan Xichen is so fishy he can't stop putting his guard up. Not even the roasted lobster is delicious enough for him to enjoy the night – which he knows he's supposed to enjoy, but it's hard for him to accept good things are happening to his miserable love life. Patiently, pessimistically, he's just preparing himself for the moment where everything goes downhill.

He's been quiet, busying himself with bitter wine, hiding his face in his glass. Lan Xichen notices, of course, Jiang Cheng had never expected immaculate and charming Xichen to let anything get pass himself.

"Are you not enjoying this night, Jiang Cheng?" There isn't an inkling of annoyance in the tone of his voice, it's just a plain question. Lan Xichen is patient, but Jiang Cheng wonders just how long his patience can go on without snapping at him.

Jiang Cheng sighs. "No."

He half-expects for Lan Xichen to apologize, but he doesn't. "Me too."

They make eye contact and sure enough the agreement is there – they just aren't compatible at all. Simply put, Jiang Cheng isn't the princess to Lan Xichen's prince charming. They are a candle that is slowly dying out, but it's not like they've been lit in the first place.

"Do you want to end this?" Lan Xichen is still smiling although this entire evening has been rotten down by his date. Jiang Cheng tries to find a spark – anywhere, anywhere – but Xichen's eyes are still a boring, warm-toned brown, and no matter how hauntingly pretty he is Jiang Cheng just can't find himself to like him more than just appreciation for his looks.