Ships and Love

Been Loving You (AU 4/4)

Lan Xichen x Jiang Cheng

Fluff, Cute

Confession

Future (Asassin AU)

~*~

天子笑

These three letters was written on top of the small noticeboard. According to his brother once, this small stall had the best wines in G perfecture. However, not many people knew of it. Jiang Cheng knew that his brother would visit any place with wine he had never tasted before. When they went to G perfecture to study, Wei Wuxian somehow caught wind about the good wine in the area.

Sadly, the dormitories did not allow alcohol. At that time, Lan Wangji caught Wei Wuxian who was about to jump across. As students who came back after 7 PM without night class passes were not allowed to enter, his brother planned to bribe Lan Wangji.

But hey! If Lan Wangji was that easy to bribe...his brother might not be sent to Lan Wangji!

Or so he thought...

"Uncle, they are lovers, so of course they will put Wei Wuxian with Lan Wangji," he heard his nephew say during one of their monthly gatherings, "not only can Lan Wangji restrain Wei Wuxian, he could also go into protective hubby mode."

Protective hubby mode...

Protective hubby mode...

Pro-

"Jin Ling! Where did you get that!" Jiang Cheng shook Jin Ling's shoulders. He couldn't believe his nephew would...would...

"A Yuan told me."

Jiang Cheng would've spurted out blood if he had no self control. What was with the Lan people taking innocent people in, scratch that, some innocent people in, and make them their lovers?

It was precisely why he was here. To get his mind off things. If he could drink to ease his worries, perhaps he might forget about this incident and think about straight...beautiful...wo....men!?!

Oh, he was only thinking that because the Big Boss Lan was inside in the stall...

Wait...

"Lan Xichen?!"

Jiang Cheng had never expected to see Lan Xichen drinking wine...especially when the Lan Corporation had a very strict rule against drinking wine. But seeing how little Lan Xichen was drinking, Jiang Cheng said nothing.

"Ah, hello sir, please look at the menu for how much Emperor's Smile that you want, so that you can settle your pay earlier," the middle aged man hauled several large jars from the stall's storage.

"A jar please," Jiang Cheng said, putting a few thousand yuan on the table. This was the best wine in G perfecture but it was rather cheap...

Furthermore, a jar had three liters of wine.

"Are you sure sir? We don't allow takeaway anymore. You will have to finish everything here," the middle aged man said, putting a jar in front of Jiang Cheng.

"Un."

He took the ladle, and poured himself a bowl of Emperor's Smile. After finishing the bowl, he took Lan Xichen's cup and scooped him some from his jar.

"It's good," Jiang Cheng said, puhing the cup into Lan Xichen's hands, "I bought too much."

Our cute silly Jiang Cheng... Did you not say to the stall owner that you could finish the whole jar by yourself? Though, the old stall owner had seen his fair share of surprises so he was not surprised at Jiang Cheng's actions.

On the other hand, Lan Xichen's ears reddened at the gesture. He picked up his wooden chair and inched closer to where Jiang Cheng sat. Lan Xichen had been eyeing this man for years. He wanted to hug him and kiss him and...

Sadly the other was straight.

Even his brother said so. Wei Wuxian told him that Jiang Cheng likes women and it would be hard to change his opinion on things. Sometimes, he didn't want to expose his relationship with Lan Wangji to Jiang Cheng himself.

Lan Xichen looked at the man as he drunk bowls upelon bowls of Emperor's smile. Meanwhile, he just drank four cups.

"Jiang Cheng, don't drink too much," Lan Xichen tried to stop Jiang Cheng who wanted to order another jar.

He did finish almost the whole jar by himself.

"But it's so good!" Jiang Cheng said, "don't you think so too, Brother Lan!"

Lan Xichen felt his breath stop as he saw Jiang Cheng's smiling face, but his grip didn't falter a bit. He still decisively said, "you can have more, but not today. Maybe someday. Too much alcohol is not good for your body."

Jiang Cheng pouted, "but I still want more~"

It was indeed true that if lne got drunk, one would unknowingly say things that one kept inside. Lan Xichen sighed before pulling Jiang Cheng closer to himself. The reason was to stop Jiang Cheng from ordering more wine...

He felt like he's taking advantage of Jiang Cheng that way.

But he had kept feelings for him...it would be his loss if he did not make the most of it.

As Jiang Cheng was drunk, Lan Xichen was sure that Jiang Cheng would probably not remember. It wasn't like he would do something that left a lasting mark on Jiang Cheng. Perhaps he could just admit it, let go of these feelings he had held in for years...

"I love you...I have been loving you..."

Jiang Cheng was sober. He was truly sober. He was just a little tipsy from the wine, so he heard it clearly.

"I...," Jiang Cheng bit his lip, making Lan Xichen panic. He didn't know that Jiang Cheng was only tipsy.

"You know what! You guys are making me bent," Jiang Cheng said in a loud voice. Fortunately, only him, Lan Xichen and the stall owner was there.

"...I...I don't mean to," Lan Xichen was surprised at the sudden outburst.

"But...you're making me feel like this," Jiang Cheng held his chest. His heart was beating and his face felt hot. He wanted to somehow be with Lan Xichen. He didn't believe that he was bent, or that he could fall in love until he heard that confession.

He had been loving him for a long time...
I
Jiang Cheng wanted to blush and hide his face.

"I...I...can give you a chance...," Jiang Cheng said, "...just give me more wine!"

***

"Lan Huan, what is it that Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji did to make my Jin Ling more mature?"

"..."

"Lan Huan?"

"You...it's better if you don't know..."

~*~

1043 words