@anaphoricae: Modern Wei Ying would be a ver...

Modern Wei Ying would be a very tactile person. He kisses his friends on the cheeks and isn't shy about lip smacking, sometimes. "It's just a peck! They're my friends!" So whenever he arrives somewhere or leaves he just.. Gives everyone a kiss.

But not Lan Zhan. Never Lan Zhan.

Lan Zhan is very much not okay™ with this.

Jealousy aside (and oh boy, is there jealousy) he doesn't understand why Wei Ying would kiss every one of his friends BUT him. They basically grew up together! They're roommates in college! He should very much qualify for kissing.

The only person who doesn't really get any kissing from him other than Lan Zhan is... his brother, Jiang Cheng.
The idea that Lan Zhan might be in the same mental list as Jiang Cheng on Wei Ying's head is terrifying.

He needs to fix it.

So the next time they're at a casual party, Lan Zhan waits forhim to get there. Wei Ying's late, as he always is, but that's good. It means it'll be less suspicious.

Wei Ying gets there, bringing the sun with him, and the air back into the room. Lan Zhan is very much in love.

He does his round of greeting the people in the room. Everyone gets a kiss on the cheek. When he gets to Lan Zhan, he just smiles. It's still a warm hello, but there's a huge distance between them.

So Lan Zhan takes a step in his direction and gives him a kiss on the cheek.

His reaction almost makes Lan Zhan want to take it back. His eyes go wide, and he stutters his next words. "H-hi, Lan Zhan. You're, uh, early."
"Mn," Lan Zhan says, and for the entire rest of the night, he fights the urge to leave and go hide under his blanket.

But Lan Zhan isn't a quitter. Not until he tries it a few times.
He and Wei Ying have many of the same friends (which means, Wei Ying's friends have become his friends over time, although Lan Zhan has claim over MianMian, because he met her first) so they go to the same parties.

Lan Zhan gives him a kiss on the cheek every time. It's awkward, at first. Lan Zhan isn't used to just kissing people. His hands get sweaty and his ears burn, but he swallows down his embarrassment and does it anyway.

Wei Ying... doesn't react like he thought he would.

He giggles. He turns away. He doesn't kiss Lan Zhan back. He blushes like a schoolgirl and refuses to meet Lan Zhan's eyes.

Obviously, Lan Zhan's plan is going very, very wrong.

"Wei Ying," Lan Zhan says one day, when he's had enough of the humiliation.
Wei Ying looks up at him from where he's sitting on the couch. "Hm?"
"Are you repulsed by my touch?"

(lwj is such a dramatic king and I love him so much)

"What? No!" Wei Ying immediately gets up. "What makes you ask that?"
"You're uncomfortable when I kiss you."
"That's..." Wei Ying looks away. "I... I'm not uncomfortable. I'm the opposite. I'm super comfortable. I'm like-"
"Wei Ying," Lan Zhan says.

Wei Ying sighs. "I'm not uncomfortable, Lan Zhan. I swear. It's just... unexpected, coming from you."
Lan Zhan tries not to let his heart sink. "Why?"
"Because you hate touching!"
"Not you."

His eyes widen when he realizes what he just said. Thankfully, Wei Ying doesn't seem to catch his meaning.
He bites the insides of his cheeks and says, "Well, I suppose you're right. You hate touching strangers, but since we're friends, it's not the same?"
"Mn," Lan Zhan lies.

From then on, things change. Wei Ying gets more comfortable when Lan Zhan kisses him, and starts kissing his cheeks back, every time.

It's everything Lan Zhan wanted.

It's much, much worse than he could ever have imagined.

Because the friends that Wei Ying kisses every time he sees aren't his roommates. They don't see each other every day, or even every week.
And most of all, they're not /in love/ with Wei Ying, like he is.

Lan Zhan did not think this through.

WeiYing kisses him every day. All the time. It's heaven and it's hell. He wakes up and gives him a quick good morning kiss. He leaves for class and kisses him goodbye. Lan Zhan announces he's going to sleep,and Wei Ying holds his head down and gives him a forehead kiss goodnight.

It's torture. Lan Zhan feels like he's riding a high the entire day, just from a quick peck on the cheek. He never thought he could get this worked up from something so chaste, but here he is.

The first time their lips meet, it's an accident.

He's leaving for his guqin concert, and Wei Ying can't go, because he has finals.
Lan Zhan isn't exactly /used/ to being the one who initiates the kissing, but he started this, and he'll see it through. So he approaches Wei Ying's desk and waits for him to turn.

"Wei Ying," he calls. "I'm leaving."
Almost automatically, like it's second nature, Wei Ying turns his cheek a little in his direction. Waiting.
Lan Zhan bends down, but the angle isn't right.
"Wei Ying," he says again.
Wei Ying turns, and at the same time, Lan Zhan leans in.

He sees it coming before it happens. The way Wei Ying's eyes are still glued to the screen of his laptop when his head turns. The way his lips are right there.
Lan Zhan doesn't stop it. He has no power to. He couldn't, even if he tried.
He kisses Wei Ying full on the lips.

Okay, maybe not an "accident".

The kiss is fast. It's barely even a touch, really. But when Lan Zhan pulls back, his lips are tingling, and he feels like a changed man.
When he feels brave enough, he opens his eyes.

Wei Ying is staring at him with beautifully flushed cheeks.

A heartbeat. Another. Lan Zhan is wondering if he should apologize, or if he should lean back in.

Wei Ying blinks a few times, then smiles at him. "Good luck at your concert. Blow them away."
And what can Lan Zhan do, besides go to his concert and blow them away?

Lan Zhan doesn't freak out. It's fine. It's FINE. Wei Ying kisses his friends on the lips all the time. It's not a big deal. He's making too much of this. The way Wei Ying blushed and stared at him for too long doesn't mean anything. They're friends, and they kissed. It's normal.

Wei Ying doesn't talk about it again, either. They move on like nothing happened, and their kisses remain as chaste as ever.

Except.
Lan Zhan makes them breakfast, one day, and Wei Ying leans over the table and kisses his lips for it. "You're the best," he says, -

like he didn't just make Lan Zhan's entire world shift.

He stops Lan Zhan at the door, just before his game, and puts a hand on his chest. "Good luck kiss?" he asks. And Lan Zhan kisses him, because how could he ever deny a request like that?

It comes to a point where they don't even bother with cheek kisses anymore. Its always the lips, or nothing at all. Every hello, every goodbye.
Lan Zhan feels like he's going crazy. Wei Ying seems completely unfazed by it,going about his day like always, but he can't do the same.

He never imagined, when he started this, that he would ever get this far. He never imagined Wei Ying's soft lips on his would feel so overwhelming. He has to clench his teeth and curl his hands into fists every time they get close, just to keep himself from crossing the line.

He doesnt realize how extreme it got until someone points it out.
They're both having lunch with MianMian, but Wei Ying has soccer practice and has to leave early.
They've never kissed in public, so when he gets up and leans in Lan Zhan's direction, Lan Zhan offers him his cheek.

Wei Ying grabs his chin and turns his face in his direction. Lan Zhan barely has time to react before he's pressing their lips together.
"Bye!" he says, smiling, and then kisses MianMian too.

On the cheek.

"Wow," MianMian says, the amusement clear on her face.
Lan Zhan feels himself blushing, but there's nothing he can do.
"So are you two a thing now?" she asks.
"No," Lan Zhan says. "We're still friends."
"But he kissed you."
"He kissed you, too," he points out.
"Not like that!"

Lan Zhan sighs. He doesn't know how to explain to her that this is just... what Wei Ying does. To everyone. He expresses his love in physical ways, and it doesn't always make sense. It's what he feels in the moment. Lan Zhan just happens to be the person he sees more often -

so naturally, their dynamic is a little different.
"He has kissed other friends like that before."
"That's bullshit! He only does that when he's drunk, of if someone gives him a gift, and then he immediately laughs about it," she says. "What he just did was a serious, proper, -

I'm-leaving-and-I'm-gonna-kiss-my-boyfriend-before-I-go, kiss!"
Lan Zhan's heart races at the word boyfriend, but he hopes it isn't too clear on his face.
"I don't know," is all he says, because MianMian is giving him hope, and if he starts having hope, he'll be heartbroken.

"You should tell him how you feel," she says.
Lan Zhan pretends he didn't hear her, and swiftly changes the subject.

The next few weeks go by almost in a daze. In many ways, Lan Zhan feels like he and Wei Ying act like a couple would.
They watch tv shows together, -

they eat together, they share a warm blanket on the couch... He cooks the foods Wei Ying likes for him, and whenever Lan Zhan has a headache, Wei Ying brings him aspirin and gives him a forehead massage.

And they kiss. Sometimes. Barely. Kind of.

Their lips touch, and Lan Zhan swears he can taste Wei Ying on him for hours after.
But he holds back, like a good friend. He never wraps his arms around Wei Ying like he wants to, and he never lets himself linger for more than a few seconds.

Until.

Wei Ying's team wins the championship.
Lan Zhan is, of course, watching from the first row.
After the timer strikes 0 and his team huddles together to celebrate, Wei Ying disengages from their arms and looks for him in the crowd.

Without thinking, Lan Zhan steps into the court.

Wei Ying runs towards him. Lan Zhan runs, too, because the adrenaline in his blood is making him do crazy things.
They crash onto each other, and before he can react, before either of them can think, Lan Zhan kisses him in the middle of the soccer field.

It's everything their other kisses were not. Heated, open, intense. There's nothing chaste about the way Wei Ying's tongue moves on his, or how Lan Zhan holds him by the neck and tilts his head to the side for better access.
People whistle around them, but Lan Zhan doesn't care.

It isn't until they finally pull away to breathe that Lan Zhan realizes his feet are barely touching the ground. Wei Ying is holding onto him so hard he's almost lifting him off the ground.

Lan Zhan opens his lips to say something, anything, but someone pulls Wei Ying away.

Its a sudden crash of reality. What is he doing, trying to steal their moment, butting in when the team should be celebrating together?
He sees his teammates lifting each other, giving each other piggybacks. Wei Ying and Wen Ning lift the goalkeeper onto their shoulders and jump.

The coach urges them to the showers, and they all go with huge smiles on their faces.
Feeling completely inadequate, Lan Zhan turns around and goes home.

What he doesn't see is Wei Ying turning back, trying to look for him in the crowd, after he is already gone.

Lan Zhan lies in bed for what feels like hours. He's awake way past his usual bed time, and even though he did his entire night time routine, he can't fall asleep.

He kissed Wei Ying. For real this time. And it was just as blissful and just as devastating as he always imagined.

He doesn't know what it means. Is Wei Ying even thinking about it, or was it just a spur of the moment, adrenaline ridden kiss for him? Is he drinking with his teammates, not even giving their kiss a single thought, while Lan Zhan lies in bed and can't think of anything else?

There's a sound of the lock on the door moving. Lan Zhan sits on the bed.

"Lan Zhan?" Wei Ying whispers, "Are you awake?"
"Yes," he says, hating how shaky his own voice sounds.

The room is dark, but Lan Zhan can still make out Wei Ying's sillhouete with the moonlight.

"Oh, hi," he takes his shoes off. "Couldn't sleep?"
"I thought you were celebrating," Lan Zhan gets up. He's too fidgety to stay in bed, and the sheets feel too clingy on his legs.
"I didn't go," Wei Ying says.
He steps a little closer. Lan Zhan's breath hitches in his throat.

"Why not?" Lan Zhan asks.
Wei Ying frowns.
"I... I thought-" he stops. "I was... tired."
"Oh," Lan Zhan says.
Wei Ying stares at him, as if he's waiting for something. Lan Zhan desperately wants to give it to him.
But...
What if he's wrong?

What if he confesses, and Wei Ying just laughs it off? What if his feelings aren't as deep, as powerful, as Lan Zhan's?
"Well, then," Wei Ying clears his throat, sounding disappointed. Lan Zhan hates it. "I should-"
"Don't just kiss people's lips again," Lan Zhan blurts out.

Wei Ying's eyes go wide, then his face closes.
"Oh," he looks down. "I'm sorry. I... didn't know it bothered you."
"It does."
"Okay. I won't kiss you anymore. I understand."
He tries to turn away, but Lan Zhan reaches out to grab his arm.
"Wei Ying. Not me," Lan Zhan says.

"What?"
"Don't kiss anyone else. Just kiss me."
Wei Ying turns in his direction again.
"Lan Zhan, what are you saing?"
"I'm saying..." Lan Zhan gathers all the courage in his heart. "If you don't want anything to happen between us, I won't bother you again. But if you do..."

Lan Zhan tugs on Wei Ying's hand, pulling him a little closer. Wei Ying comes willingly, the warmth of his body so close Lan Zhan can almost taste it.
"If you do... Let's not kiss anyone else. Let's have... exclusive kissing rights."
Wei Ying gives him a small laugh.

"'Exclusive kissing rights', is that what it's called these days?" he says, but he leans his body on Lan Zhan, and the teasing in his voice is clear.
"We can give it any name you want."
"Hmmm. I'll think about it."
Wei Ying cups his jaw and kisses him slowly, the tender brushing-

of lips Lan Zhan has always dreamed about, but never had the chance to do.
"How about we just call it dating?" Wei Ying says when they part, his thumb grazing over Lan Zhan's bottom lip.
"Dating," Lan Zhan echoes, and then again, just so it can settle in. "Dating Wei Ying."

"Finally," Wei Ying smiles, nuzzling on the curve of his neck. Lan Zhan curls his arms around his waist and holds him as tight as he can. "I thought I'd have to slip a tongue in there someday so you'd notice that I'm in love with you."
Lan Zhan freezes. "In love?"
"..."

"Right," Wei Ying giggles a little, pushing away to look at him in the face. "I should... probably wait a few months to break out the L word, but..."
"I love you," Lan Zhan says. Wei Ying's eyes soften into a beautiful smile. "Wei Ying, I've been in love with you for years."

"Lan Zhan, don't joke around."
"Never. Not about this."
Wei Ying leans in, touching their foreheads together.
"I love you," he says, and Lan Zhan doesn't know how he manages not to explode.

"So if we have exclusive kissing rights.." Wei Ying says, before Lan Zhan can even begin to catch his breath. "Do we have any exclusive rights to anything else?"

Lan Zhan frowns. "What do you mean?"
"You know," Wei Ying lets his hand travel down Lan Zhan's chest.

"Maybe somewhere else we're allowed to kiss. Exclusively."
Lan Zhan hooks his arms around Wei Ying's waist and pushes him down on the bed.

For the rest of the night, he makes sure to show Wei Ying everywhere where they're allowed to kiss each other - exclusively, of course.

- END -

AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH I hope everyone enjoyed the ride! It was a little messy but I think it turned out okay!
Thank you for reading 💜✨

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