Chapter Text
Lan Wangji has a carefully crafted morning routine, he wakes at 5, makes his breakfast, goes for a run, returns home and showers, spends some time looking after his rabbits, and then heads to work to get to the shop for 7 sharp to start caring for the plants; ready to open for customers at 8am.
His evenings vary slightly, coming home after closing up the shop and allowing the rabbits to roam his apartment, cooking dinner for himself and on occasion eating with his brother or friends, otherwise winding down by meditating or reading until it is time to shower and prepare for sleep. His only other indulgence is his music, playing his guqin or composing songs to send out to his friends for their various projects.
He rarely deviates, he doesn't have a reason to, his life is full no matter what his brother says.
He isn't lonely.
This life is enough for him and he has more than most, a job he enjoys, a brother who loves him, friends who care for him, his music, and his rabbits. He is content.
If only his brother could see that, the perpetual state of pining he resides in, the way romance is taking up space in his life he thinks Wangji needs someone as well.
As he walks towards the shop he thinks about the inevitability of his brother setting out more roses, orchids, tulips, whatever other love or courting related flowers he can add that will fit in the window display. A physical manifestation of his pining for the owner of the tattoo shop next door Nie Mingjue.
The shop's window has been rather red and pink recently.
He stops on the sidewalk keys already in hand, there's a man standing out the front of the tattoo shop. He looks like he could be blown over by a strong breeze and seems distracted by the toe of his own shoe, he doesn't seem very aware of his surroundings so Wangji takes the time to look closer. There's a duffle over his elbow, and a beat up backpack slung over one of his shoulders, strap trapping strands of inky black hair that's pulled up in a ponytail reaching down to his shoulder blades, held in place by a red ribbon that trails almost as far.
Wangji is only looking because he's curious as to the man's reason for waiting, might find a clue about his intentions, it's good practice to be vigilant, nothing more.
Does he not know the tattoo shop won't open for two more hours? Should Wangji go tell him? Surely he can read the sign on his own, the hours are clearly posted on the door in front of him, or maybe the man can't; he shouldn't assume.
Wangji decides against it in the end, maybe the man isn't even waiting for the shop itself, or maybe he's just early, and either way Wangji has work to do.
He can see the man still standing there out his window while misting the plants of their display. He's fidgeting on his feet, rocking back on his heels and switching from foot to foot while he plays with the overly long cuffs of his sleeves and chews on his hoodie string. Wangji would usually find it off putting, but the unceasing movement of this man who seems like he can never be still keeps drawing his attention. He can't count the amount of times he's drifted back to the window to adjust a pot, or straighten a note card, just so he could see if the man was still waiting there. Lying is forbidden, six times.
He's noticed this time, hoodie string dropping from the stranger's mouth as he smiles and raises his free hand in a small wave, Wangji nods in reply and moves away from the window with red ears.
It wouldn't be surprising he thinks, if all the blooms in the shop opened to face that smile, since it's so alike the sun coming out from behind a cloud and warming everything with it's presence.
He needs to... sort plants in the back.
A few hours pass before Wangji checks again, he does have some self restraint, but as he heads out to go buy his lunch the man is gone.
Gone down the street to get lunch, it seems, finding the man sitting in front of him when he opens the door to his favorite restaurant. The man's not alone, sitting with a toddler, napkin in hand to wipe his chubby cheeks clean as he waves a spit covered stuffie around in his little fist.
Wangji realises he's stopped moving when the door opens behind him, startling him forwards and catching the stranger's attention.
"Oh! Flower shop guy, hey!" He glances around a moment, the restaurant is quite full today, and usually Wangji doesn't come for food directly at lunch time so he has some peace and quiet.
"We have a free seat, you can sit with us, can't he A-Yuan?... yes, I think so too." He ends with mock gravity and a nod, as if the toddler had replied instead of hiding his face in his shoulder.
Wangji nods in return and moves to the table only hesitating slightly, a waitress coming over to take his order promptly. They're always efficient here, and they have the best selection of vegetarian dishes to choose from, he appreciates that. As soon as the waitress leaves he feels awkward at the table, his table mate however appears to have no such concerns, immediately launching into conversation.
"This place is really busy huh? Must be really good food, A-Yuan wanted an omelette but I haven't filled the fridge yet." He pauses to look down at where the boy has buried his head, only the top of his little frog hat is visible. Wangji can relate, a part of him also wants to hide. Maybe Wei Wuxian's shoulder would not be an appropriate place for him to try just yet, but it does seem effective.
"He's a bit shy today, we met a lot of new people, it's overwhelming." He kisses the top of the frog hat and plays with the kid's hair, tucking some of the escaped strands back underneath, before he turns to Wangji again.
"Sorry I should have introduced us, I'm Wei Wuxian, but since we're going to be neighbors you can call me Wei Ying, and this little cutie is my A-Yuan." He tilts A-Yuan toward the table a little, but doesn't force him out of hiding. "We moved into the apartment above the tattoo shop, I saw you in the flower shop this morning, do you work there?"
"Mn, Lan Wangji, I am co-owner." It feels like too little a reply for the flood of words given, but his own are stuck somewhere in his throat as he watches Wei Wuxian rub his son's back in little comforting circles, he's already smitten by him and it's making it hard to concentrate. This hasn't happened before; Wei Wuxian is still a stranger to him, but he feels so drawn in.
"The food here is good." He manages to add, just as his tea arrives along with a water for Wei Wuxian and a juice for A-Yuan. At least now he has something to do with his hands.
"Oh it will be good to have somewhere nice so close, I haven't had the chance to explore the street much yet, I'm still getting my bearings." Their food comes to the table, Wangji's braised vegetables with tofu and A-Yuan's omelette, they always bring a table's food out together here so he waits for Wei Wuxain's dish to start eating, but the man himself is already busy cutting the omelette into small pieces for his son.
"Are you going to use your fork yourself today? You can show our new friend how good you are at it!" A-Yuan shakes his head, still shy, and Wangji realises he hasn't spoken to him yet, that maybe he can help make him more comfortable by being less... closed off.
"I like your hat, A-Yuan." A little eye peeks out in response. "Do you like frogs?" A-Yuan turns his face towards him, still clinging to his father but it's a good start.
"Mhm they hop." A-Yuan says and then brings up a hand to his mouth, shoving a few fingers inside. He is incredibly cute, Lan Wangji has never understood aunties' reasons for pinching cheeks before, but he may now.
"Hopping is a good quality," he says seriously. "I like rabbits, they also hop."
A-Yuan nods, bringing his hand out of his mouth to grab the plastic fork Wei Wuxian sneakily passes him while they talk.
"Bunnies soft noses go," he scrunches his nose, he still has his other hand gripped into his father's shirt, but he's no longer hiding as he scrapes up a piece of omelette onto his fork and puts it into his mouth. Wei Wuxian mouths a thank you at him over A-Yuan's head smiling warmly all the while. "Baba said I can have fogs now."
He's concentrating hard on trying to stab a specific piece of omelette, so he doesn't see the wince said father has on his face.
"Ah A-Yuan, I said maybe, maybe you could have a frog one day now that we have an apartment." He readjusts the fork in his son's hand. "Do you want to share your new room with a frog? What if he wants to have flies for dinner every day?"
A-Yuan makes a face at that.
"Can have my egg!" He holds the piece up for Wei Wuxian, who opens his mouth and lets him place it inside.
"Hmmm omelettes are tasty, but you know frogs eat bugs, they need bugs to grow big and strong like you need your vegetables." He explains matter of factly, A-Yuan seems to accept this and goes back to eating his food, it's been long enough that Wangji thinks maybe the waitress has forgotten Wei Wuxian's meal.
"What did you order?" He asks, and Wei Wuxian seems to realise that he hasn't begun to eat.
"Oh no, I'm not hungry, sorry you should eat, your food will be cold by now." Wangji searches his face, he looks tired, and his cheeks are a bit sunken, it would be unjust to judge someone's situation when he doesn't know them well but... he looks like he could use a warm meal.
He tucks the information away for later, it's not his place to comment, and the stress of a move and circumstances surrounding it could easily turn someone's life upside down for a while. Maybe they can eat lunch again together in future.
As he eats his food he learns a lot about his new neighbors, A-Yuan's birthday is in a few months, he likes to eat his vegetables and is 'such a good boy' and that he sleeps very well. Wei Wuxian does art on the side as a hobby but doesn't think he's very good, he used to work nights cleaning the Wen office building a few blocks away, but now he has A-Yuan all the time he's going to telemarket for them from home starting in a few days.
He says it with a smile, but it's a strained one, it's not hard to understand why, the Wen corperation have been notorious for years for all manner of unsavory practices. Underpaying and over working employees, unsafe work environments, the owner's sons just shy of getting away with murder, and a lot of under the table shady business deals that nobody is able to examine too closely or prove.
They're always in the news, always under investigation, but nothing ever comes of it. Most recently the family have been trying to buy up the whole street, attempting to bully away the shop owners into selling their stores for less than they are worth to expand their own territory.
"I'm lucky I know someone who works there, I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't work from home, even though the hours aren't the best." Wei Wuxian chatters away, helping A-Yuan drink some of his juice and sipping at his own water, Wangji stops himself from staring too blatantly as his adam's apple bobs with the movement.
In return Wangji offers some stories about his bunnies, the photos on his phone causing A-Yuan to light up with interest, and answers questions about his shop and the tattoo shop. Time passes so quickly, but it feels as if none has at all, he could talk to Wei Wuxian for hours, but all too soon he needs to head back to the shop.
"We'll have to come in and visit some time." Wei Wuxian says with a smile after their goodbyes, and Wangji finds himself looking forward to it, returning A-Yuan's shy little wave as he goes up to pay for his meal.
He decides to pay for the table, the value of the company easily worth the cost of an omelette and some juice. It just makes sense, especially comparing a wage at Wen Corp to his own inherited fortune, and definitely not because his fool heart is set on thinking of this as a date.
He's only able to watch Wei Wuxian fussing with A-Yuans jacket a moment before they're out of sight, but the thought keeps him warm on the brisk walk back to the shop.
Lan Wangji's heart is a traitor.
After being back at the shop for less than five minutes Wei Wuxian bursts through the door in a controlled flurry of movement, A-Yuan dozing on his shoulder, and slaps money down on the counter in front of him.
"I don't want your charity, I can look after my son just fine without a handout." He's forcing his words out low and even, careful not to make A-Yuan stir in his arms, but that doesn't stop Wangji from feeling as if he's being yelled at. "Keep your money. I didn't ask to owe you anything, I've been fine on my own and I'll keep being fine without your help."
He's seething, completely indignant and Wangji can tell he's unwittingly tripped over a sore spot of some kind, it helps him not take it personally but that doesn't mean it feels good.
"Apologies, I did not intend to offend you, it won't happen again," Wangji says, inclining his head in concession. "I enjoyed spending a meal with you."
"Yeah, well, so did I, but now I'm not so sure." He turns and leaves the shop as quickly as he came in, but he looks deflated, like all the anger was only there to cover up the sad tilt to his mouth and now that it's gone there's nothing left to hide behind. Wangji has already forgiven him for his hasty judgement.
Filing the information away in his mind on top of the pile of things about Wei Wuxian he's yet to understand, Wangji watches him go. There's no use in pushing this now, maybe he can approach him again in a few days and make sure his apology is accepted.
Despite his misstep, he finds he still wants to at least befriend Wei Wuxian, maybe he'll talk to his brother later and see what Nie Mingjue has told him about his new tenants. For now he's going to finish out his shift and see if he can find a flower to add to his brother's window display.
Perhaps the romance theme isn't so bad after all.