Chapter Text
Wei Wuxian fidgeted backstage, wishing he hadn't been placed so late in the lineup. The first of his teammates had been auctioned off almost half an hour ago, and here he was still waiting. Ten feet in front of him, onstage, his captain Jiang Cheng was smiling anxiously as the bids went higher.
"Nine hundred!"
"Nine hundred fifty!"
"One thousand!"
Wei Wuxian tried to take a glimpse from behind the curtain, but couldn't make out any of the club's guests, only their voices. Finally, at thirteen hundred yuan, no more bids were offered, and Jiang Cheng gallantly bowed and kissed the hand of the woman who had won his charity date for the night. They went offstage, and that meant it was Wei Wuxian's turn. Unlike many of his teammates, he wasn't nervous at all- what more flattering experience was there than to have several wealthy people clamor over the privilege of spending just a few hours with him?
"Up next, we have our club's top tennis player, the charming and talented Wei Wuxian!" the announcer called. Wei Wuxian smiled and strode out on stage, bowing to the small crowd as they politely applauded. "If you win his company tonight, you'll be spending an evening with one of the top players in our league. He also has some hidden gifts- people say that his musicianship almost matches his skill on the court!" People was Wei Wuxian and no one else- none of the other players seemed to understand his newfound fascination with playing the flute in his offtime- but he'd gotten to write his own bio, so he could say whatever he wanted. "You'll be bidding on a wine tasting date- all expenses paid by our club- and then a romantic boat ride under the stars. So let's start the bidding!"
"One thousand," someone from the back called. Wei Wuxian startled, trying to find the source of the voice, but the stage lights in his eyes were too bright to see. He knew, though, that this must be the club's plant. Jiang Fengmian had chosen a couple friendly athletes from a few other clubs to throw out some low bids quickly. If the dates appeared in high demand, he reasoned, the wealthy patrons would offer more to be sure they got their preferred partner.
Wei Wuxian didn't hear the next few bids. He was too preoccupied with the plant, who had bid too high to start. Did he not understand how this was supposed to work? If he wasn't careful, he would accidentally end up winning!
"Three thousand," the same deep voice called from the back.
Now, Wei Wuxian knew himself to be very handsome, but he also knew that number was far too high for even a man such as himself. No one would outbid that amount. He only could hope now that the plant would pay at least some of the money, as fair price for cheating Club Jiang out of a valuable lot.
"Three thousand… going once, going twice… sold to the man in the back! Come on up and meet your date for the night!" Wei Wuxian was at least interested to see what club had a player stupid enough to not understand how something as simple as auctions worked.
The figure on the back moved to join him. He was tall, graceful, and dressed in pale colors. Blue and white, it turned out, as he moved closer. Wei Wuxian felt his heart drop even before he could see the man's face.
It was Lan Wangji.
They exited the hall in silence. Wei Wuxian almost leaned in to nudge Lan Wangji playfully with his shoulder, but the two years since they'd spoken and the two feet between their bodies felt too large a distance to cross so familiarly. Instead, Wei Wuxian simply grinned as soon as the doors were shut behind them. "Lan Zhan, I knew you just couldn't resist spending an evening with me!" Seeing him again did almost feel like they could start on the same page they'd left off.
"Mn." Lan Wangji replied. That was unexpected. He must have grown more composed in the time since they had last seen each other. "Where are we going?"
Did Lan Wangji actually want to go on this fundraiser date? He didn't drink, and couldn't stand other people drinking almost as much as he couldn't stand Wei Wuxian. Maybe he was just agreeing out of duty to the agreement between their clubs.
Well, Wei Wuxian wasn't going to give up the chance to drink expensive wine, especially if he didn't have to pay for it. And he hadn't seen Lan Wangji in two years. Teasing him before had almost been too easy to be fun, but now it seemed as though it might take more effort to ruffle that stoic, disciplined, demeanor. Wei Wuxian felt a certain curiosity about how much it would take for Lan Wangji to react to something now.
He wouldn't really bother Lan Wangji, though. Maybe just a little.
"This way," he said. Lan Wangji followed in silence.
"You know," Wei Wuxian mused as they walked, "if you are coming on this date with me, you may have to pay my fee after all."
"Mn," Lan Wangji responded.
So boring, still. "Though I suppose you won't be drinking any wine, hmm? Maybe I should come at a discounted rate in that case. Even though my time is very valuable." Wei Wuxian raised his eyebrows suggestively.
Lan Wangji turned and met his eyes for the first time. For a second all felt still. "Don't worry," Lan Wangji said. "I will pay." Then he looked away, and they continued walking as if all was normal.
Maybe Lan Wangji was feeling especially generous today. There could be no other reason he was so willing to follow through on this evening with someone he likely hated. Come to think of it, why didn't he simply give Wei Wuxian the money now and leave, sparing himself several hours of time spent in Wei Wuxian's company?
Their bad relationship had started as teenagers, when Club Lan had held a summer clinic and invited players from all across the region to join. Wei Wuxian and his friends had quickly become the center of all social activity, blatantly flaunting the rules by smuggling in alcohol, partying late into the night, and, worst of all, occasionally trying to make practice more fun. Lan Qiren, their instructor, threatened to remove Wei Wuxian from the clinic several times, and Lan Wangji, one of the club's star players, had ardently echoed the sentiment with his own disapproval.
Sure, looking back, it had been Wei Wuxian's fault. He was grown up enough to admit that now. But hadn't Lan Wangji also played at least a small role in their conflicts when he had insisted on being so uptight?
However, childhood disagreements didn't truly matter in the face of Wei Wuxian's later, larger transgressions. He'd thought those would have scared the other man off forever. Instead, here they were together, and as they reached the winery, Lan Wangji even held the door open for him as they entered.
"Oh," Wei Wuxian said stupidly at the unexpected gesture, and then flashed a smile. "I mean, thank you." Lan Wangji nodded, waited for him to pass through, and followed him inside.
Wei Wuxian greeted the hostess, who led them to the reserved table. There were already two glasses of wine there, and he grabbed one and took a drink as they were sitting down.
"Ah, it's delicious!" Wei Wuxian said, taking another sip. It was hard to find a wine he didn't like, but even so, this one was exceptional. "Will you try it?" He offered the second glass, fully expecting a refusal. To his surprise, Lan Wangji took it and drank without hesitation. Wei Wuxian gasped dramatically as he finished it all without pausing for breath. Lan Wangji set his glass down delicately and looked back towards Wei Wuxian.
"Wow, Lan Zhan," he said. It was far too soon for Lan Wangji's cheeks to show a red flush, but Wei Wuxian found himself looking for one anyway. "Does this mean you drink after all? I knew you must be hiding something, eh?"
Lan Wangji's face remained frustratingly unreadable. "I have never hidden this. I drink only rarely."
Wei Wuxian took another sip of wine. "How rarely?"
"Twice."
That would explain why Wei Wuxian had never seen it. "Twice? Counting right now?" Lan Wangji nodded, and Wei Wuxian's surprise bubbled into laughter. "Lan Zhan, I'm honored!"
He finished his own glass of wine and looked Lan Wangji over again. There was still no change in his complexion or demeanor. When Wei Wuxian glanced upwards, he saw Lan Wangji's eyes carefully following Wei Wuxian's inspection. Under the intensity of that gaze, Wei Wuxian felt his own cheeks grow warm.
Suddenly even making eye contact was overwhelming. He could feel his heart pounding, and he could only imagine the embarrassment if he were the one unable to hold his alcohol after all his bold assertions. He abruptly stood up and moved to ask for two glasses of another wine, staunchly looking away from their table until he had settled his breath into a normal rhythm. There was no need to be nervous, he told himself. It was just Lan Wangji, and they weren't even on a real date.
There truly was no need for nerves. When he came back, Lan Wangji was slumped over at their table, fast asleep. He didn't stir even when Wei Wuxian shook him and called his name. So this was why he didn't drink. Wei Wuxian chuckled, brushed a strand of Lan Wangji's hair off his forehead, and finished both wine samples by himself. He went back for a third vintage, and then a fourth. They were quite good, and he was enjoying Lan Wangji's presence, even asleep. Perhaps this was a night well spent after all. He had also never known Lan Wangji to go against his word, and he had promised to pay the total of his bid. Therefore, he could call the night a success for Club Jiang as well.
He sent texts to both Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli, asking how their dates were going. There were no responses, but that was to be expected if they were still busy with their wealthy bidders. His own date was supposed to last at least another hour, though he wasn't sure if he would be allowed to bring a sleeping partner onto a boat with him.
He gathered up their wine glasses and brought them up to the counter, along with the check from Club Jiang that would handle the payment. He checked his messages one more time- still nothing- and then felt a sudden tap on his shoulder. He whirled around to see Lan Wangji, awake, his previous reserved expression now gone icy cold.
"You're texting someone else on our date," he said.
Wei Wuxian tucked his phone away. "It's just my teammates," he said placatingly, but at the look on Lan Wangji's face, he brought it back out and visibly turned it off. "There. All my attention is on you."
"On me," Lan Wangji echoed.
"Yes, on you. Are you drunk, Lan Zhan?"
"No," Lan Wangji said. "Let's go outside."
Now, Wei Wuxian had never before heard Lan Wangji lie. But he knew that intoxicated people seldom realized how drunk they really were until later. He also knew that someone who fell asleep after just one glass of wine couldn't be sober already.
More than that, he knew Lan Wangji, and though his posture and expressions were held in the exact discipline he always showed, he almost walked into a table on their way out of the winery. However, as long as Wei Wuxian was nearby to help, Lan Wangji seemed unlikely to be in danger from a leisurely trip around a lake.
"Okay," he said, "Let's go down to the boat rentals. The lake isn't far."
When they exited back onto the street, though, the sky had gone dark and rain had already begun to fall. Within a few minutes, Wei Wuxian guessed, there would be thunder.
Lan Wangji put his hand out and caught a raindrop in his palm. "We cannot go out on the water tonight," he said quietly. He almost sounded disappointed.
"I wish we could spend more time together too," Wei Wuxian said with a smile. "You've been such a perfect gentleman." As if Lan Wangji would know how to be otherwise.
"It's okay," Lan Wangji said. "We will go another time. My brother will pick me up tonight." He sent a quick text before he resumed staring at the rain.
"Lan Zhan!!" Wei Wuxian gasped. "On your phone?! Is this how you treat a pretend date?" He made a face of mock outrage, and then started to laugh again.
Lan Wangji did not laugh with him, of course. With finality, he stated, "No."
Wei Wuxian shrugged and leaned back against the side of the building. What, did he not even rate highly enough to be called a pretend date? This was the first time all night Lan Wangji had expressed any amount of displeasure with the evening, and Wei Wuxian wondered if he would be more open with his thoughts when drunk.
"Lan Zhan," he said, "would you answer something?"
"Yes."
"Did my coach ask you to bid on me tonight?"
"Yes."
"Will you pay the amount you bid for me?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Lan Wangji's eyebrows knitted together. "Because I went on a date with Wei Wuxian." For a man as principled as him, it was as simple as that. He had- even accidentally- purchased Wei Wuxian's time for the night, and so he was going to pay.
A few minutes later, Lan Xichen's car pulled to a stop in front of them. "Wei Wuxian," he called, waving politely. "May I give you a ride somewhere?"
"Thank you," he replied, "but Club Jiang is close by. I can walk."
"All right," Lan Xichen said. "Wangji?"
Lan Wangji took a few steps forward, then paused. "Wei Ying," he said quietly.
"Lan Zhan?"
"... I missed you."
Then he was getting in the car, and the Lan brothers drove away and faded from sight.