ancient_moonshine (ao3)
Shen Wei is a casino operator. Zhao Yunlan is a professional gambler. Somehow, he gets lucky.
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He'd been coming off the high of a winning streak when Shen Wei's bodyguard came in and marched him up, out of the glittering lights and smoky haze of the casino into his boss' office. Zhao Yunlan had grinned at his opponents at the baccarat table- more than two of them scowling at the pile of chips they'd had to relinquish over to Yunlan's side of the green cloth, their faces red from alcohol and rage – and slapped the shoulder of the dealer shuffling the deck anew. Chu Shuzi had then all but physically dragged him to where Shen Wei was waiting for him, none too pleased.
Shen Wei owned the strip of casinos and hotels – and rumor had it, the whole city - that Yunlan frequented and made his living out of. One of Yunlan's regulars, an industrialist who tragically had no time to enjoy anything but the fruits of Yunlan's winnings - had thought it a good idea to introduce them to each other, maybe to keep Shen Wei from putting a hit on the guy who regularly cleaned out his establishment's accounts. Yunlan had been stunned, to put it mildly. He'd expected the secretive proprietor of Dixing Inc. to be an old man in his sixties with a showgirl hanging off of each arm, not the ivory-skinned beauty who'd taken his hand and given it a firm shake – after Yunlan had tossed a poker chip at him on their previous meeting.
("Hey! Great Beauty!" The young man had caught the chip just before it hit the end of his nose, blushing like he'd just realized he was the one Yunlan had been referring to. Yunlan had grinned at him, and he'd looked at Yunlan like Yunlan had everything to offer him.)
Afterwards, Yunlan had kept running into the man. It was a while before he realized they weren't just accidents, but even then he hadn't missed the way Shen Wei's eyes lingered on him. Yunlan had smirked at that, flirted shamelessly – a Beta normally wouldn't appreciate an Alpha's posturing, but it was a rewarding thing to make Shen Wei blush and look at him with exasperated amusement - and best of all - laugh. Until Yunlan had realized he'd begun to look forward to his company rather than the commissions he got for his winnings.
Now he's sitting across the man, drinking in the view sitting behind the mahogany desk. Shen Wei's as gorgeous as ever - dressed in his usual grey suit –obviously bespoke, and probably more expensive than all of Yunlan's wordly possessions combined – sans suit jacket, the waistcoat fitting perfectly on his trim body, and Yunlan shifts on the leather chair that was likely more expensive than his own (actually really decent, thanks to one high roller real-estate magnate and his obsession with Craps) condominium unit, trying not to be too distracted by the sleeve garters on Shen Wei's upper arms. Shen Wei is frowning at Yunlan, looking at him with a mixture of disapproval and concern.
It throws him for a loop, that look. Yunlan's used to people wanting something from him – whether sex or his skill at cards. Shen Wei was definitely restraining himself from taking the former – he was surprisingly prudish for someone who ran Dragon City's den(s) of iniquity- but that worry. That fear.
Yunlan's not used to getting that from anyone.
"Chu Shuzi told me you've been winning all night at baccarat." Shen Wei says. "He warned me that you won so many times, your competitors might complain about anomalies." Yunlan grins, stretches. His skin feels too hot, too tight with the rush of victory. If Dixing had been anything like the seedy casino operators from downtown, Yunlan would have welcomed the beatdown they would have attempted to give him.
(He doesn't miss the way Shen Wei's gaze flickers to his lips, or how his throat bobs up and down as he swallows.)
"I assure you, Mr. Shen. I have clean hands. I wouldn't have such an extensive clientele if I didn't." This isn't the first time he's assured Shen Wei of this. Shen Wei if possible looks even more peeved.
