sarahyyy(Ao3)
"I mean, if the sex is as good as you're making it out to be, then clearly, he's trying to keep it going," Ye Zun says simply. "Three words, ge-ge — friends with benefits."
(Or, the one where Shen Wei convinces himself that he is Not In A Relationship with Zhao Yunlan.)
--
He wakes up pressed against Yunlan's back, arm curled around Yunlan's midriff.
Shen Wei makes quick work of getting out of bed without accidentally waking Yunlan up, ignoring the urge to pull Yunlan closer to him, to press a kiss to the back of Yunlan's neck, to wake Yunlan from his slumber so that they can have a repeat performance of last night.
One night with Zhao Yunlan, that's what he promised himself. Just one night.
He's got that now, and he knows better than to be greedy, to want more than what was offered.
Yunlan was drunk last night when he sought comfort from Shen Wei; Shen Wei knows better than to expect Yunlan to still want him when he's sober.
He clenches his fists and tries to work through the tightness in his chest at the thought. He knew what he was getting into last night when he brought Yunlan home, and there's no reason to be disappointed at an outcome that he already knew would follow.
A quick look at the clock on his bedside table tells him that it's just a little past eight in the morning. There's still time before Yunlan is due to be at work. Shen Wei will just let him rest a little longer.
He considers his options as he quietly leaves his bedroom.
He could leave his apartment for a couple of hours, and come back when he knows for sure that Yunlan has already left. That way, they can skip the whole awkward morning after scene. But then what? The next time he sees Yunlan, things are bound to be awkward, and Shen Wei is already too used to the easy conversation and light banter that they get into when Yunlan comes by the bar. Shen Wei would rather die than to lose that.
He could stay, instead. Stay, and make sure that they leave things off on a cordial, friendly basis. There's no reason why two...friends —are they even friends?— can't have casual sex and be adult and mature about it, right? If Shen Wei stays, he can make sure that Yunlan knows that he is unaffected by anything that happened between them last night, that he will still be happy to lend an ear to Yunlan when he needs someone to talk to. That way, they can at least try to maintain the status quo.
He nods to himself, decision made, and heads for the kitchen.
He loses himself in the mindless prep of breakfast. Anything to stop himself from worrying about how things will go with Yunlan from now on. Anything to stop himself from replaying scenes from last night.
He startles when Yunlan kisses his shoulder just as he's stirring his pot of freshly-made fish congee.
"Sorry," Yunlan says ruefully, and presses an apologetic kiss to Shen Wei's temple. "I didn't mean to startle you."
Shen Wei blinks at him for a moment, thrown, before he collects himself. "You're awake."
"I smelt food," Yunlan says sheepishly, and then peers over Shen Wei's shoulder. "Fish congee? I love fish congee!"
Shen Wei knows he does. Yunlan's mentioned it offhandedly once before.
"Go sit down, I'll dish it up and bring it to you," he tells Yunlan.
"You're so good to me, Shen Wei," Yunlan says happily, and does what Shen Wei says, and Shen Wei swallows, turning dazedly back to his pot of fish congee.
