wangxian au where they properly meet at a conference lwj's family is holding and all except the night before wwx is already in the area so he's just... what up i'm single and new in town... he runs into lwj, they have a one night stand

the following morning is, uh, y'know

great news! wwx got a job as a writer for the first time in his life.
slightly less exciting news, his first day will consist of a boring conference with the entire publishing company... that's a concern for tomorrow, though. tonight, he's having drinks to celebrate.

of course he picks the bar right across the street from the publishing company.
he knows if he's charming and consistent with his visits enough he can get a few free drinks out of it. he sits at the bar and orders his favorite.

wwx is laughing loudly and with his glass half raised to take his next sip when a man walks in - he looks all proper, so out of place it's ridiculous.

... lwj walks straight to a staff member to make sure everything is right with the drinks catering for the following day.

lwj is supposed to walk out of the bar as soon as he's done with what he came in to do. he doesn't.
wwx can vaguely remember stopping him on his way out with "i'm bi, i'm new in town, wanna show me around your room?"

subtle.

lwj: "shameless."

[usual reminder that qrts, rts and replies on the tweets as i go are how i measure if people are still interested, so if you like it feel free to react how you see fit and i'll keep going, maybe turn it into ao3 fics. i'm open to continue until there's a warning it ended.]

lwj walks past wwx at first and that might have been the end of it. might have. when he reaches the door he holds it open and hesitates for a second, looking back at wwx, and the glance they exchange is enough of an encouragement.

he's human, after all.

it's not a decision lwj makes. it's an idea that crosses his horny mind for a second, strong enough to make him hesitate when leaving. wwx takes it as an invitation and follows him into the badly lit, empty parking lot.

wwx's self-preservation score: zero.

it's this crack in lwj's judgement that grows bigger by the second as he feels wwx joining him. he can feel the desire crawling under his skin and the easy opportunity there: wwx is from out of town, they wouldn't have to see each other again, he's good looking, it's simple.

they end up having sex in lwj's house. it has all these awkward elements of having sex with a person you know nothing about but it works. overwhelmingly well.

they spend the night together and fall asleep trying to reconcile with the fact they'll never have sex this good again.

it's not that they know exactly what the other one wants immediately, or that it's better than intimacy, but they work so well together that there's just... /something/ driving them together in a way that lingers.

they end up falling asleep so late that lwj completely misses his usual waking hours for the first time in years.

wwx wakes up to his phone loudly ringing and a very naked, perfect man face down on the bed beside him. he's half asleeo as he looks at the clock, and in the next second he's jumping out of bed as quickly as he can.

fck, he's late.

if he absolutely rushes this he might get into the conference without making his first day terrible on spot, so he's collecting his clothes from the floor and opening a brand new toothbrush he finds in lwj's bathroom drawer - thank god for prepared rich people.

lwj stirs in bed and is very collected as he puts on clothes while wwx rushes around him - clothes, saying sorry for the toothbrush he opened without asking (that's redistribution of wealth, he argues), rambling about being late already,

"breakfast.", lwj says.

wwx hesitates for a second or two before brushing the idea aside completely.

"wh- no, you don't have to be kind, it's cool. i'm late, which is definitely something you don't want to be for your first day at a new job, and you don't have to pretend you care, i'll just go."

wwx does pause to press a kiss to lwj's lips before he's out of the door.

(it turns into a few kisses, and he's apologising as he breaks off the kiss. he's chaotic but he's still not going to ruin his first job as a writer over dick, not even THAT dick)

wwx shows up to the conference two minutes late with starbucks.

(ah, come on, that's basically a miracle and he need the caffeine. everyone knows that's very on brand for writers, thank you.)

he gives his name to the person at the door and gets a weird look.

"okay, i just need to see your ID badge"
"my what?"
"the thing that identifies you as part of this company, /sir/"
"oh, uhm. it's my first day, i don't have one yet"
"then you can't come in"

it's going great

"... is there anyone i can talk to? i'm sure my superior can vouch for me to make sure i don't miss the conference?" he tries.

nothing works. he's typing an e-mail to the HR person he has been in contact it when it happens.

oh.

/oh/.

oh no.

slow motion isn't a thing in real life, but in time moment it does feel like it is. everyone certainly adjusts their postures and shuts up as he approaches, at least. it's so dramatic it's impossible to miss.

he's just walking, but wwx also thinks he's so clearly above anyone and everyone surrounding him. somehow he seems to have found time for a shower, breakfast, getting there and doing some work.

wwx suddenly feels very stupid holding that starbucks cup.

lwj stops at the door and lets the group he has been guiding in go first, holding wwx's gaze.

"apologies for the inconvenience," laj says, turning to look at the person handling the entrance, "are there any problems here?"

wwx's mind:

wwx would very much like to argue but right now he needs to understand exactly what's happening.

... are they coworkers wtf

the other person standing there explains the situation, lwj nods and walks away, and wwx is left behind with his protests ignored.

fine, he's hot, just not that respectful when the lights are on

10 minutes later wwx is still insisting on being allowed in, and he finally manages to be.

his one braincell: i sure annoyed them into submission

there isn't a lot to do there, he has to sit down and listen to boring speeches while trying not to fall asleep. it's 3 hours in that he is finally guided to meet people he'll be working with.

at least his one night stand is nowhere to be seen, ha. that could have been awkward.

"that is your editor" wwx hears.

hey, that guy doesn't seem too bad, he'll probably have a good time.

"oh, he seems nice, smiling is a good sign, right?" he comments.

"oh no, that's lan xichen. your editor is his brother,"

something tells wwx he knows how that sentence ends.

well that /oh/ moment was USELESS, because you know what,

working with your one night stand? kinda awkward, unexpected, something you get over quickly like adults

working FOR your one night stand? your amazing, hot, unimpressed by you one night stand? he wants to disappear

the very friendly and smiling face steps away to reveal a lwj's complete lack of expression, and wwx's stomach drops.

"... lan zhan, he'll be handling all your work. go leave an impression."

"yeah, i think i already did."

their gazes meet across the room again and wwx gives him a big smile and a wave.

wwx's first day at his first proper job as a writer:

- getting there late with starbucks
- locked out
- annoying his way in
- oh, no big deal, fcking his boss the night before

great

they eventually are forced to interact because it would be even weirder to try not to in a conference

lwj: cold, straightfoward, doesn't talk a lot, really good at being professional about it
lwj's mind: CONSTANT FLASHBACKS FROM THE PREVIOUS NIGHT PLAYING ON REPEAT

wwx is just gripping the pen he was given really hard trying his absolute best not to make an inappropriate joke to avoid making the situation worse.

lxc: "you should show him the office spaces now the day is over. i requested for his ID badge to be left on your desk."

lwj, wwx:

wwx's mind: ok, this is fine, cool cool cool cool cool, just don't mention last night at all

wwx's mouth, as soon as the lift's doors close and they're alone: ... is this a good time to say i'm sorry i didn't stay for breakfast?

lwj looks at him with an expression wwx can't quite read, then ignores him completely and looks up at the display indicating they're going up to the offices.

silence.

"i swear i didn't know you'd be my boss. it's not like i /tried/ to make this job awkward and possibly get myself fired." wwx says after a moment or so.

the doors open and lwj walks out. wwx follows.

"... i'm not getting fired already, am i?"

lwj doesn't exactly give him much of a tour, but wwx's follows him around assuming anything lwj isn't saying ("kitchen" does go unsaid, to be fair). they walk a straight line to lwj's office.

"i can be very professional, and i'll hand in work faster than anyone ever will-"

the words die on him as lwj's gaze meets his again.

"you will not be fired." he informs him, "i will assign you to a different editor tomorrow." /since i slept with you/ goes unsaid.

disappointment hits wwx harder than it should have.

lwj picks up the ID badge from his desk and offers it to him.
wwx holds his gaze, but doesn't take it.

don't ruin it don't ruin it don't ruin it this is your FIRST job as a writer this is your dream no dick is that good don't ruin it don't ruin it don't ruint it

"what, are you planning to sleep with me again?" wwx says.

lwj parts his lips slightly, still handing him the badge.

"then it's fine, neither of us knew we would work together, we will pretend it never happen." wwx says, against his better judgemen. "don't think it'll stop me from speaking if your suggestions are bullshit, it won't."

"this company belongs to my family." lwj explains, calmly. "firing you would be unfair, but i should not be your boss."

cool cool cool cool cool cool wwx still has a job his boss doesn't hate him he's just concerned it's fine ᵉᵛᵉʳʸᵗʰᶦⁿᵍ ᶦˢ ᶠᶦⁿᵉ just don't ruint it

"i either have you as my editor or i don't work here."

(yeah, he ruined it)

"WHY DO I EVEN CAAAAAAAAREEEEEEEE I DON'T EVEN KNOW HIM, WHAT IF HE IS A SHITTY EDITOR, WHAT IF WE COULD STILL HAVE SEX IF HE ISN'T MY EDITOR, WHY DOES IT MATTER SOMEONE STOP ME WHY ISN'T ANYONE STOPPING ME" - wwx's mind, probably

lwj is visibly frustrated (that much wwx can tell), and he puts the ID badge back to his table. "are you trying to get fired?"

"i'm trying to work with you."

"and if that is not possible?"

"then i'm not interested."

silence.

wwx shut the fck up challenge: failed

lwj looks at him like he's stupid. wwx feels the panic boiling inside of his chest, but he's not about to give up.

"leave." lwj says.

wwx feels the floor under his feet disappear. he wasn't counting on this going so poorly.

maybe he will find it within him to panic and argue later, but right now he is too numb by lwj's cold tone to argue. he swallows his words and turns to leave.

"7am tomorrow," lwj says as he's about to reach the door. wwx freezes. "not a second later. by my desk, not drinking coffee and locked out of the building."

wwx still has his back turned to him when lwj approaches and hands him the ID badge.

he closes his eyes for two seconds, takes the badge and tries to walk as normally as he can until he reaches the lift.

as soon as wwx is out of the building, he runs until he's home.

did wwx sleep? no. he is absolutely running on 3 hours of sleep in the last 48 hours.

BUT he had coffee BEFORE coming in this morning (per lwj's slight-roast-request) and he's five minutes early to show up at lwj's desk.

... did he fix his hair? nah, that's still all over.

the offices are still mostly empty when he walks in - everyone else is probably still at the conference -, but that's exactly what lwj wants.

as soon as wwx is in he (takes 10 seconds longer than he should have looking at him, then) hands him a stack of paperwork.

"i already signed my contract." wwx says as he opens the first file.

"alterations were made so your position within the company isn't tied to my personal or professional opinions," lwj explains "you'll be reporting to another superior while i act as your editor"

"that's not nec-"

"all decisions regarding your future in the company will be out of my hands. a second editor will take care of your work upon your request whenever you see fit, (...)"

"lan zhan."

lwj finally stops and looks up at him.

"i can handle you." wwx argues.

(lwj doesn't smile, but it's a close call)

"i know you can."

wwx gives up and signs the new contracts.

the initial tension hovers over them for the first days. wwx is trying not to give lwj reasons to throw him out of the window, lwj is extremely cautious and deliberate in everything he does.

slowly, it gets a little better.

there's always /something/ between them. stacks of files, a desk, a door, someone else. whenever wwx takes a step in lwj's direction, lwj steps back. that doesn't change.

they do find common ground, though.

they go back and forth with e-mails, articles, paperwork, adjustments. wwx keeps his promise to deliver everything faster than anyone else, and lwj starts to rely on him way more without even realising it.

(that doesn't stop the arguments)

wwx: "that's ridiculous. if you take that out you're killing the entire point of what i've written, you might as well throw it in the trash."

"it's not a personal blog, we can not include this."

"that's not an opinion, those are facts."

usually there is a clear winner to every battle. wwx never looks for the second editor... in fact, he has no clue who that's supposed to be, he'd have to read that contract again to catch up and he's not planning to anytime soon.

lwj was used to be the first one in and the last one out of the door on a daily basis, usually greeted only by the building's security. it comes with the life of an editor that some of his bedtime hours are sacrificed, or that he wakes up at ungodly hours. it never bothered him.

wwx's routine adjusts to his too easily. he'll walk into lwj's office with a complaint when it's too early but still show up when lwj doesn't ask him to, and the previously dead quiet building is now 24/7 filled with his never ending laughter, chatter and mischief.

more often than not, they start sharing breakfast, lunch and dinner.

they don't have to, most of the time.
wwx will still invite himself to it, and lwj is always too weak to stop him.

(they both tell themselves it's for Absolutely Urgent Work Matters)

work isn't /always/ crazy, and that's how they find themselves with nothing else to do at the office when it's only 11am.

they just stand there until lxc tells them both to go home and rest for the early following day, then reluctantly go to their respective homes.

there's this odd emptiness in lwj's routine that he is desperate to ignore as he drives home.

wwx does try to shut this up by singing way too loud.

it doesn't go away.

lwj phone rings, he takes less than a second to answer.

"lan zhan." he hears wwx say.

they both wait for an excuse to show up.

"... i think we forgot about that, uh. thing."

"the deadline."

they're both fairly sure there is absolutely no deadline coming.

"yes, that. we should probably -"

"i can pick you up for lunch."

"good, yes. that works. thank you."

wwx says he's buying lunch (which he never does), and that makes lwj want to avoid expensive places.

they decide to cook together for completely reasonable reasons

(for sure they'd find those retasons should anyone ever ask)

that's how they find themselves going to lwj's place with no worries in the world.

until wwx walks in and they're immediately hyper aware of what exactly was happening the last time they were there together. slightly... different circumstances.

wwx knows too well where everything is. whatever comfortable, boundary breaking place they had found themselves in for the past few weeks quickly dissolves and lwj is tense again.

he places the food they bought on the counter to start cooking, they try to focus on that.

wwx's mind: okay if we just ride this out it will be fine, don't talk about it and we can exist without thinking of lwj's beautiful lips on-

lwj's mind: hypothetically speaking, how quickly can i leave my job if i text my brother and how mad will my uncle be, asking for a friend

it's in this ordinary moment they share, the mistake of getting too comfortable around each other, gravitating closer and closer to what they know they both want.

the line gets blurry, as it should be.
lwj steps foward this time.

there's this particular look they share.
nobody is as surprised as wwx when he steps away from lwj.

"i like my job too much" he blurts out.

(he likes lwj too much)
(he knows this is a line he can't cross if he wants to keep him close)
(he desperately wants to keep him close)

lwj nods. wwx hurries to sit on a stool far away from lwj, then chuckles.

"i'm sorry" he says.
"there is no need for apologies between us."

he's not in this scene but somewhere in this world you know nhs's notes read exactly this rn: https://twitter.com/poloniumcat/status/1283518847627202562

they survive. there's just one problem with surviving through the first unecessary lunch at lwj's home and not even kissing.

both of their minds, searching for excuses: "see? we survived? this is eASY. this is fine. we can do this. we are buds. fellas. comrades. friends. amigos. coworkers. pals. buddies."

they don't even make up excuses now, it just slips right into their routines too.

breakfast? either at the office (lwj brings food to wwx and wwx starts to actually eat in the mornings) or bought on their way to meetings.

lunch? lwj's place (just because cooking is healthier. and cheaper) unless they're too busy.

dinner? too personal to happen at lwj's place without creating more tension, too late for office hours.

late nights become more frequent, taking a toll on both of their sleep schedules.

everything is piling up. the work catches up to them even with wwx's fast pace, they find themselves disagreeing more over a big project, they are both frustrated from all the avoidance, they are both exhausted from all tthe adjustments they make just to be closer.

it's a good thing nobody else cares to be at work that late.

(...)

"lan zhan, i told you a million times, i was careful. our source is safe but this has to go out as it is. i understand -"

"not all of us can afford to be that careless"

"don't underestimate how much i care. i said i have it under control."

"wei ying."

snippets from their unusually loud argument could have been heard outside - indeed a good thing nobody else is there to hear.

"i'm not changing it, lan zhan, drop it."

"/wei ying/."

"yes, i've heard it, i don't care. i'm not changing it."

lwj sighs, frustrated. he's standing in front of his desk, an unusual mess taking over it. there's takeaway open, cold coffee they had hours before, stacks of papers. most of the floor's lights are out and they're still stuck there. it's too much, even for his endless patience.

"... do you need another editor?" lwj asks. he means it.

[i just highkey realised the devastation no matter what wwx answers hehehehehe place your bets]

the one time they mentioned it was wwx signing the contract. never again. it has never crossed wwx's mind, and it never needed to. they always found an answer, /always/.

the way lwj looks at him now... he means it. wwx feels disappointment crushing him, taking him right back where they were when lwj first asked him to leave.

and now, he supposed, leaving was as good of an idea as it had been then.

wwx refuses - to leave, to ask for someone else when all he needs is right there.

"what are you talking about? no, of course i don't."

"it would be easier." lwj says, his tone softer.

the fact it really would leaves a bitter taste in wwx's mouth. they could be together, he could risk asking for more, but that would mean ending everything they've built together.

was it really worth it?

[i would like to frame this comment right here because i managed to make people want LAN ZHAN to SHUT UP hahahahahahaha] https://twitter.com/tiramisuontop/status/1283543351426347009

"would it really be easier, lan zhan?"

lwj doesn't answer.

"haven't you seen all the work we have done together?" wwx insists, placing the papers he had been holding back to the desk. "if i have to answer to anyone... at least i can work for you. that's worth it."

lwj steps aside so he won't be facing him anymore, and wwx can see in his profile how reluctant he is to speak again.

"go home, wei ying."

wwx waves a hand to dismiss him, walks to the table and leans against it in front of lwj's body. "lan zhan."

"we will discuss it in the morning."

wwx turns his body to him so they're facing each other. "we've discussed enough."

"wei ying." lwj warns.

now is not the time. he is exhausted, frustrated, still stuck in their argument. he is consumed by all the pressure building on his shoulders.

/have mercy/, his eyes plead.

"i'll be good" he says, raising his hands, "i won't push it."

lwj doesn't trust the smile he sees. they both know this discussion isn't over until they agree, this is just them trying to navigate where exactly they stand in case they can't.

"i know you aren't leaving yet," wwx argues, his hands on lwj's shoulders to smooth over the fabric of his shirt. "so let me stay and take care of you."

lwj's barriers aren't as strong as he hoped for.

wwx steps a little closer and he catches a glimpse of vulnerability in lwj's eyes.

"wei ying." meant as a warning, repeated as a prayer.

"i don't need anyone else" wwx says, because of course he pushes... just a little. "lan-er-gege," voice barely above a whisper, he steps closer:

"let me show you."

lwj has no strenght left to fight it. his restraint crumbles as wwx kisses him. he kisses him back.

truly a blessing nobody else is there to hear the way wwx's body is pressed against the desk, or the small sound he makes when that happens.

it's good the door is closed and the floor is empty too, for lwj's tie falls to the floor as he kisses wwx's neck.

wwx rushes to take the fabric out of the way, wrapping his legs around lwj's waist, moving against him. their kisses grow urgent, lwj's patience runs thin.

shirts off, wwx's fingers follow to lwj's belt.

(this ain't over yet, not that easy)