Link: https://mobile.twitter.com/PoemHeaven/status/1565686125095706627
****
[the 1st of January]
Jiang Cheng was still staring at the now dark phone screen lovingly, when he was startled by the commotion by the front door – a mass of people suddenly started noisily getting out of the bar, and he now crouched, moving to the side, and into the shadows. Somebody inside had switched on the lights and now the French windows cast rich illumination onto the dark, abandoned streets, so shadows formed naturally too.
The noise, coming from the crowd, was somehow deafening – after Lan Huan's soft murmurs – and it kind of hurt him to listen to a thing so barbaric, as it eclipsed even the roar of the fireworks show in the winter sky, celebrating the coming of the new year, as the City Square was nowhere near to the bar.
What had happened? Were they coming for him perhaps? Had the accursed blonde told everyone that there was a criminal just a couple of meters away, and he had to be put away, for good this time?
Staring, wide-eyed and frightened, he realized that his biggest fear right now was not that he was going to jail, but that he would never see Lan Xichen again. It didn't seem plausible. It didn't sound doable. It sounded like the end of the world. His world.
Yet, people dispersed, laughing and cheering their captain on, joking and getting into cars and taxis. No one really paid attention to him, and he was grateful, despite the bitter cold. The blond psycho was one of the last ones to get out, saying a brief and rude goodbye to his boss, and Jiang Cheng expected trouble now, a different kind of trouble.
- Are you OK, A-Cheng?
A warm hand reached out for him, and he grabbed it: Bobby helped him up to his feet again, biting his lips as they got into the light, and he managed to see him better.
- I am a little...
Jiang Cheng staggered, and it was good that Bobby's shoulder was there for him to lean on. They both stepped inside, into the warmth of the bar again, and stopped in front of their boss, who was looking at them both critically, unimpressed. He pointed a finger at Bobby and just mumbled:
- You and A-Ning – go clean up. Now.
Bobby nodded and hurried to do it, a little glad that he was going to go home earlier than expected tonight. Jiang Cheng was left to his own devices, and now did his best to stand upright, and look as professional as possible.
The elderly man looked at him, measuring him up and down, shaking his head; it was a pitiful sight. His lips were still blue with the cold, his face was too pale and bloodless. His shirt was falling apart, and his bruised neck was shamelessly exposed. His pants were covered in mud, and he was shivering.
- A-Cheng... - he started seriously. – I took you in because I know you need the cash. I took you up because... - he hummed now, staring at him, frowning a little.
Jiang Cheng wondered whether this was a "you are fired" talk, or his boss just liked to point out the obvious. He waited, patient, and trying to stop his shaking.
- I took you in because you're pretty. Attractive. You are good with clients. Also – because I know who your sister's fiancé is. – he went on coolly.
- Yes, sir. – he answered dispassionately.
- Will you be causing me more problems, boy?
- No, sir.
- Hmmmmm. Should I believe that? – the man scoffed, the fire in his cigar slowly dying, as he forgot to be sucking on it now.
- Yes, sir. All will be done in a month. After that you won't have to see me again, ever. If you don't want to. – Jiang Cheng looked directly into his eyes with cold golden eyes.
- Hmmm. A lot can happen within a month, A-Cheng.
- I agree.
There was nothing left to be said, but after a pause, his boss grumbled:
- I'll keep you around, for now, boy. You are too well-connected. Your Jiē, your future brother-in-law, your lover... Hmmm. You know that Lan Xichen is trouble too, just like Mister Mike, don't you? – he raised an eyebrow now.
- It doesn't matter. – Jiang Cheng looked away, clenching his teeth.
Too many people lately were trying to assure him he had to give his love up, and he genuinely wanted to punch something.
- Hmmm. Let me quote the Bible to you, kid. I feel you need it. "A wise man sees sin and hides himself, but the fool goes on and suffers for it." Proverbs 27:12. Check it out. It's some good shit.
With those words the older man left him, waddling his way out of the bar, and quickly forgetting all about his employee's life troubles.
Jiang Cheng stood there for a while, frozen, mind-blocked, until he felt a warm hand on his shoulder, which made him shudder and jump aside by instinct.
Bobby sighed and mumbled:
- Go home. We will finish here. Tomorrow you can take the second shift. Come on. Sleep on it. Tomorrow, 2 p.m. Go, A-Cheng.
He nodded without comment, went into the back room almost by instinct, and got changed by sheer force of habit, and just left.
He had no memory how he'd gotten home that night.
***
Lan Huan got out of the restroom all flushed and hot.
Jerking off didn't feel good this time, as it felt awfully incomplete.
Lately, he was so used to having Jiang Cheng close, feeling him almost all the time, that having any form of sex without him by his side now felt... simply not enough. It felt like he had been interrupted half-way through.
Gao Xi greeted him with a grin and a smirk.
- What took you sooooo long, Boss? – he purred now, seeing him blushing and biting his lips.
- I was on the phone. – Lan Huan's voice thundered; he was too embarrassed that maybe people might have heard his loud moans in there.
If they had ever done that, Gao Xi didn't comment on it, but still kept on grinning cheekily. Desperate to change the subject now, Lan Xichen mumbled:
- What's with you and Kath, huh? She slept all over you on the way here!
It was Gao Xi's turn to blush deeply. Extremely red in the face, he now answered, trying to sound cool:
- I think she was drunk.
- No. No, she wasn't. I dunno if you've noticed, but lately Kath is rarely drunk. She looks... somehow... sad. – Lan Huan took a sip on the now stale and warm champagne, frowning a little.
- I can't say. I had better stuff to do! – Gao Xi mumbled tersely, almost angrily.
- You lie. And you forget who it is you're talking to, my boy. – Lan Xichen scoffed, taking out his wallet to pay the bill.
- Boss...
- Listen. I don't care. I don't. I just care that all three of you are as sharp as a tack this next month. It's going to be important. Crucial! I cannot be having midlife crises on my hands. Nor – any despair-drinking sprees! Do whatever you have to do! I need you all on your best game!
- I see. – the young man said darkly.
Dammit, he would have to talk to Katherine now. This was going to be worse that the mission at the 12th Precinct today. Tonight. Ughh... this time difference sucked!
The waiter came along to take the credit card, and they were getting ready to leave – it was well past noon already, when the boy came back and said very politely, bowing low:
- I'm sorry, sir, the card got rejected.
Lan Huan raised an eyebrow, surprised.
- This... shouldn't be possible. Try this one. – the took out a new card, he hadn't had the time to exchange any currencies in the last weeks. His credit card was golden, universal, it had to be OK.
They waited silently for a long couple of minutes, and the waiter came back, a little pale and extremely flustered, mumbling quietly:
- I'm sorry, sir. We accept cash too.
- Ugh, let me! – Gao Xi rolled his eyes and took out a couple of banknotes from his wallet and just handed them over to the waiter, who kept on bowing low to them until their feet stepped onto the street outside.
- What the fuck was that?! – Lan Huan's face was dark, and he looked quite scary.
- Maybe you got hacked! – Gao Xi grinned, thinking to himself that he had just the right guy to hack any bank account in the world, too thankful that they weren't talking about him and Kath any more, but then he sharply remembered that his CI was supposed to text him once ready, and his face fell – he had no messages yet.
- I don't care about that! And what's more – that's impossible! – Lan Huan growled. – That bank account is...
He stopped in the middle of the street all of a sudden, realizing what account that was.
- Fuck. – he said simply and quietly.
- Are you OK, Boss? – Gao Xi looked up, amazed to see his boss so thunder-struck all of a sudden. It was a face he didn't show to just anyone.
- I think... I think... I know what's happened. – Lan Huan mumbled unhappily. – Dammit. I wanted to buy...
Gao Xi frowned. This sounded... complicated.
- Do you need... Oh my god! – he grinned now, far too excited, and his voice fell down a few octaves, to a purr again. – Boss, do you perhaps need a... loan?! BOSS???
Lan Xichen looked down on his far-too-smug face, gaping stupidly, and then both of them burst into happy laughter.
***
It was almost 5 in the morning, and Jiang Cheng was soaking in the bath-tub.
He had sincerely thought that he would be drained, and just fall asleep on arrival. But he didn't feel sleepy at all. Too much had happened for just a single night; his adrenaline was still sky-rocketing.
So he decided to fill up the bath, he needed to get himself warm again. Getting sick right now would be the stupidest thing in the world.
Words were ringing in his head, too many words, and he was trying to silence them, shake them off his mind, drown them in soap and shampoo.
Johnny Wu, his boss, the damned Mike Flannegan, and yes – Lan Huan's soft words too; he even remembered the last words fucking Jin Zixuan had said to him too:
"I can't protect you any more, sweetheart. You betrayed me, so now you are on your own. This time – for good. This is how the Clan works. I don't want to see your face again. A-Li is mine now."
It was too much. He felt it was far too much.
He let the water flow away, and he rinsed the soap from his body, but he still curled inside the bath-tub: it was warm here, and he knew that going to bed meant remembering Lan Huan's petting too acutely, so he didn't want to leave here, not yet.
His phone was nearby, and he bit his lips.
Lan Huan...
Their own New Year's party was going to start soon, he knew it.
Should he...
Could he...?
''''
- What's wrong, love?
Lan Huan's voice sounded so worried that Jiang Wanyin wanted to cry. He didn't deserve so much care...
- Is it OK...
- It's always OK, honey. What's wrong, my love? - Lan Huan asked patiently, but his heart was pounding madly.
- I just... I missed you... I think...
- Do you want me to call you back? Maybe video call again? You can keep me company – I am getting ready for... ugh... tonight.
- No... no... I just need 2 minutes.
- What are you doing, little one? Tell me?
- I am... taking a bath.
- Sounds perfect, love. I wish I could be there to hold you...
- Yes. Me too.
- Are you OK?
Jiang Cheng thought of sulking again at that sentence – it was the thousandth time he was hearing it tonight. But then... no.
- I am OK. I am alright now that I can hear your voice.
Lan Xichen bit his lips. They had talked just a couple of hours ago. But... no. He said nothing.
- I love hearing your voice too, my heart. I miss you too, Wanyin...
- Huan?
- Tell me, little one? Why do you sound so sad, my love?
- I... I almost used my gun again tonight.
- I see.
Lan Huan frowned, and sat down on the bed, listening carefully now.
- Promise me you are OK? I could call Estella to come and check on you? Maybe? She will do it. Do you need... anything?
- No. No. I'm good. I promise.
Jiang Cheng shook his head, trying to erase the picture of the annoying woman, nagging him and asking him stupid questions, from his head as soon as possible.
- Good.
- Huan?
- I'm here, little one.
- I have just one question. Please?
- Anything, love. I am here, my loved one. Ask me, sweetheart?
- Somebody... - Jiang Cheng's voice broke, but he quickly got a grip; he had to be brave for this one.
It was the worst question, and he knew it. He also knew that there was a big chance that Lan Huan would never want to talk to him after hearing it. But he had to know.
- Yes, love?
- Somebody told me... that... you...
There was a tense pause, but Lan Xichen did not push. He waited patiently. He knew that his lover would not give up; he just needed time.
- Huan?
- I am here, my love. Tell me.
- Did you really use to sleep with your brother? Was he the one you loved the most? Is he still the one you love the most???
The last question was whimpered, and Lan Xichen knew that it had taken a lot of willpower for Jiang Cheng to say all this. He was silent for a moment, not really worried about all this, here and now, but rather furious that Mike had sunk so low as to tell him all this. He itched to ask his lover what else that psycho had said about him... More dirt, no doubt.
Yet, Jiang Wanyin was asking about... Wangji. Only about A-Zhan.
"He feels most threatened by Di. Why? Is he... perhaps... right to feel this way?" – he thought to himself, confused.
Yes, he was close with his brother, but... jealousy? How was that? Why was that? He needed more time to think about this. It was – apparently – important.
But not now. Now Wanyin needed him.
- I'll deal with that somebody as soon as I'm back. I promise you, my little darling. – Lan Xichen said coldly. - I'll make sure he regrets upsetting you so much. But...
Jiang Cheng held his breath. This pause, right now, was unbearable. What the hell did it mean?!
Was it true?!
Fuck!
- It is perhaps my fault, my love. I should have told you all – told you about our childhood. I see that it bothers you, and we will talk about it, once I get back. I have no secrets, love.
He bit his lips. It wasn't true.
- Huan??? – Jiang Cheng whimpered again, sitting up in the tub, all numb and cold now.
He literally felt he could not breathe when Lan Huan said:
- Yes. It's true.
It was just a couple of seconds before his lover went on, but those were the most horrible seconds in his whole life.
- When we were kids, we basically grew up surrounded by servants, but no parents, in a cold and broken home. We only had each other. Wangji was a lot younger than me, just a kid, so I had to take care of him. Only I could do it, he trusted no one. I am not sure what that somebody told you, but... - Lan Huan frowned more now. - ... there was nothing sexual about it. A-Zhan was a very sensitive child, who needed his mother, and definitely his father, and I had to give at least a little bit of that love to him. I am his Ge. Now he has A-Xian, and I see things are going well for them. I hope he can provide what Di is so lacking.
Lan Xichen made a pause, feeling that this was the end of what could be said about the whole thing, waiting for Jiang Cheng to say something, anything.
- I see. – he murmured finally.
- Don't be jealous, little one. You shouldn't be.
- I see. – Jiang Cheng repeated weakly.
- But you must know... - Lan Huan said sternly now. - ... Please know that I will always love my brother. This will never change. I am sure you feel the same about your sister.
- Yes. Yes. - Jiang Wanyin mumbled quite unhappily.
- I promise we will talk about it more. Soon.
Silence.
- Did you buy me a ring, asshole? - Jiang Cheng finally mumbled.
Lan Huan grinned. These words meant that all was fine again.
- Yup. – he cheered. – A plastic one!
Jiang Wanyin almost jumped in the bath.
- What the fuck?! Are you serious, Huan?!
- Mmmmmhhhmmmm. – he teased. - Do you maybe want a... PHOTO???
- I am going to kill you, A-Huan!!!
- I love you too. – Lan Xichen murmured softly in reply. – You have no idea how much.
- Huan... I miss you so, Huan....
- Little one... My loved one...
Jiang Cheng almost sobbed, the loving voice caressed him through the distance.
- I love you, despite everything, A-Huan!
- I love you too. Despite everything. My beautiful Wanyin...
'''''