Chapter Text
Wangji isn’t eavesdropping.
He isn’t.
His stupid classmates are just talking loudly. He can’t help but to hear them.
He can’t.
A small crowd of boys are gathered around Wei Ying’s desk - because Wei Ying is bright and fun and popular - and Wangji is sitting alone, revising his notes and definitely not paying attention to their conversation, because he doesn’t care.
He doesn’t.
“I heard Nie Huaisang from class 2A is gay,” one of the boys says. The other boys around him snicker and elbow each other.
“You think that’s true?” one of them asks, he shivers dramatically, “I guess I should steer clear of him.”
The boys all laugh, and Wangji sneaks a peak behind him to see if Wei Ying is laughing as well. He’s relieved to find that he’s not. Wei Ying looks bored, his face in his hands, staring blankly out the window.
Wangji is relieved that Wei Ying isn’t laughing and he doesn’t know why. But he is. Relieved.
“The Nie’s are freaking rich though,” another boy says, “I’d totally do him if he let me drive one of his cars - did you see what he rolled up in today!?”
“Gross,” another boy laughs, “What if he wanted to do you?”
“Ew, no way!”
They all laugh again, and Wangji looks back again to make sure Wei Ying isn’t laughing too. He doesn’t quite understand why it’s so important to him, but he feels unspeakably relieved to see that Wei Ying isn’t laughing along with the others.
Wei Ying stands up suddenly and kicks his chair in. The force knocks the laughing boy off his desk.
“What do you think Wei Wuxian?” one of the boys asks, still snickering.
Wangji isn’t eavesdropping. He’s not, he’s not, he’s not. And he doesn’t care what Wei Ying says. He doesn’t.
“Mm, I think Nie Huaisang is rich and handsome and way more fun than you lot,” Wei Ying says easily and starts walking towards the door.
“Wait where are you going?” the boys ask.
“To talk to Huaisang’s brother!” Wei Ying responds brightly, a huge smile on his face. “I’ll let him know that you guys will apologize to Huaisang, okay? Hopefully he goes easy on you.”
With that he walks out of the classroom, whistling a song that makes the tips of Wangji’s ears go hot.
The boys dumbly stare at each other, still crowded around a now-empty desk.
“Wait who’s Huaisang’s brother?” one of them asks.
“Nie... Nie...”
“Nie Mingjue.”
There’s a split second of silence before they all start running out of the classroom, falling over themselves comically.
“Wei Wuxian!” they yell out desperately, limbs flailing in their rush to catch Wei Ying. “Please - we were just! Please! Wei Wuxian!!”
Wangji isn’t waiting for Wei Ying at the gate.
He’s just standing there to admire the view... of the houses across their school. They’re nice houses. It’s nice to admire them.
“Lan Zhan!” Wei Ying says, throwing an arm across Wangji’s shoulders. “You ignore me all day at school but here you are, waiting for me! I’m getting mixed signals here, Lan Zhan.”
Wei Ying laughs delightedly and his breath is warm against Wangji’s cheek.
“I do not... ignore you,” Wangji says, desperately hoping that Wei Ying thinks that the redness of his ears is from the cold.
“You totally do,” Wei Ying says, “But it’s okay. I’ll forgive you since you wait for me.” He removes his arm from Wangji’s shoulders and Wangji pretends he doesn’t miss the warmth.
They start walking, side by side, and Wangji doesn’t count how many times their arms brush together - he doesn’t.
“Did you really talk to Nie Mingjue?” Wangji asks lightly. Just to make conversation - not because he cares.
“You heard that?” Wei Ying asks. He sighs and shakes his head. “Idiots - all of them. I can’t wait to graduate this stupid school.”
They are idiots, but Wangji isn’t in any hurry to graduate. Wei Ying has big dreams. He’ll probably leave their city after they graduate and only come back for holidays and...
Well, Wangji isn’t in any hurry. He likes walking home with Wei Ying after school. Even if he has to deal with idiots all day.
“I didn’t talk to Mingjue-ge,” Wei Ying continues, “But they did apologize to Huaisang.” He smacks Wangji on his arm and laughs brightly. “You should have seen Huaisang’s face, Lan Zhan! He was so confused!”
Wei Ying’s laugh is bright and beautiful and Wangji gives himself a honest moment to admire it. His fingers tingle strangely and he has this sudden desire to press his thumb against the corner of Wei Ying’s lips and...
“You should be careful,” Wangji says, trying to reign himself back down to reality. “They’re idiots but they can be cruel.”
Wangji remembers what those idiots had been like before Wei Ying came to their school. Quiet and shy Wen Ning, whose only defender was his ninety pound older sister and whose only sin was that he was poor and timid.
Wangji had known what the boys were doing was wrong - and he had told them. But the school administration had done nothing and it was against the rules to fight, so what could Wangji do?
It was against the rules.
It was against the rules and Wangji had been content with that until Wei Ying had transferred to their school.
Wei Ying, smart and charismatic and more than ready to break every rule. He had been the bane of Wangji’s existence at first. An annoyance Wangji could not understand. The rules were simple. Why was Wei Ying so eager to break them?
Wangji didn’t understand - and if he’s honest, he barely understands now. But Wei Ying had taken one look at Wen Ning, had seen Wen Ning being pushed around only one time, and decided enough was enough.
Wangji can still remember how Wei Ying’s jaw felt in the palm of his hand, as Wangji dabbed medicine on his cheeks and the corner of his lips. Can still remember the way Wei Ying’s fingers felt in his hand as Wangji dabbed ointment on his bloody knuckles.
“You’ll be suspended,” Wangji had said softly, afraid to say what he really felt. Afraid to admit that he was sorry that he didn’t join Wei Ying in his fight.
Wei Ying had smiled at Wangji then, and maybe that was the moment Wangji had...
“Will you miss me, Lan Zhan?” Wei Ying had asked mischievously.
And Lan Zhan hadn't answered then, because it was against the rules to lie.
Wei Ying had been suspended, and those idiots had been hospitalized. Wangji had been nervous when they all came back, but maybe it was because those idiots were true idiots, or maybe it was because Wei Ying was handsome and charismatic and undeniable, but after they all came back to school, the idiots began following Wei Ying around like some stupid fan club.
It surprised Wangji how quickly the opinions of those idiots changed, but he was grateful for it then.
Remembering it now makes a strange nervousness creep up in his stomach.
If those idiots can change their mind so quickly... Their current good opinion of Wei Ying might...
“Ehh, what do I care about those idiots. They have fewer brain cells than I have fingers,” Wei Ying says. He knocks his shoulder to Wangji’s. “You worried about me, Lan Zhan?”
Wangji resolutely looks forward and does not answer because lying is against the rules.
Wei Ying snickers and knocks his shoulder against Wangji’s again. “We’re not at school, Lan Zhan, you’re not allowed to ignore me.”
“I do not ignore you,” Wangji answers instead.
“Then eat lunch with me tomorrow. I’m tired of eating with those idiots.”
Lunch? With Wei Ying?
But...
“They... do not like me,” Wangji says stiltedly, feeling awkward and uncool and everything Wei Ying isn’t.
“We don’t have to eat with them! We can eat together - just us. Or maybe with Wen Ning too, if I can find him,” Wei Ying says excitedly.
It really isn’t a good idea and Wangji really should say no. It’s enough that Wei Ying walks with him after school. It’s enough that their houses are close enough together that they can even walk to school together. It’s enough. It’s enough.
Wei Ying’s reputation might... suffer, if he’s known to be close friends with Wangji, who is uppity and a known rule follower and no fun at all to be with...
“I use my lunch time to revise my notes,” Wangji says, and it isn’t a lie. He does revise his notes.
Wei Ying wilts dramatically, puffing his cheeks and pouting his lips like a child. Wangji doesn’t find it at all adorable. He doesn’t.
They’re almost home now and Wangji has to consciously move his feet so that they don’t slow down.
They stop in front of the gate to Wangji’s house, Wei Ying turns to face him.
“Shall I open the gate for you, Lan-gongzi?” Wei Ying asks playfully.
“Boring,” Wangji replies. It’s not cute. It’s not.
Wei Ying smiles widely up at him and Wangji has to remind his hands to remain at his side. They’re not allowed to grab Wei Ying’s perfect face and bring it close to Wangji’s. They’re not.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying says.
“Tomorrow,” Wangji nods, trying his best not to sound too eager.
“Try to revise all your notes today so you can eat lunch with me tomorrow, okay?”
Wangji turns and opens the gate instead of replying.
“Try, okay!?” Wei Ying yells after him.
Wangji walks up the steps to his door and only then does he allow himself to turn and watch Wei Ying walk away.
Tomorrow.
He doesn’t plan to eat lunch with Wei Ying tomorrow but...
He does revise all of his notes.