Chapter Text
He was trying to sneak back into the Cloud Recesses… again. With fours jars of Emperor’s Smile corded around his hands, he tip-toed as evenly as possible, not to let the jars clink together accidentally. What an amateur way to get caught, he thought. In the moment, Wei Ying cursed his greediness, he wouldn’t have needed to be so careful with only two jars. But, luck seemed to be on his side tonight, Lan Wangji hadn’t caught him – yet – and he was already nearing the jingshi.
With an even pace he crossed the yard and butted himself up against the wall. He was underneath the jingshi's circular window, and noticed it was slightly ajar. Wei Ying decided that this was a golden opportunity to peek inside. Since it was well past curfew, he could hopefully expect Lan Zhan to be there, maybe at his desk or in bed – if he wasn’t on patrol that was. If he were to see him, he could rest easy knowing that his 6th sense hadn’t been tipped off and he could get away with his loot easily.
Wei Ying maneuvered around to the opposite side, the open one and looked in.
He was at his desk.
Wei Ying let out a long slow breath he hadn’t realized he had been keeping in. His lungs burned, but he held firm and silent as he let the air silently pass his lips.
Dim candle light cast an eerie glow on his work station. He thought it was strange, since it was too dark to read in conditions like that. What was he doi-
He went white as a sheet when he realized it.
Who would’ve thought that Lan Zhan had urges too. He wanted to giggle, but he felt equally bad, dirty even for accidentally spying on him while he was masturbating. But, as embarrassed as he was, Wei Ying felt a little bit better knowing that the expressionless machine that was Lan WangJi was also – at the very least partially – human.
He looked away quickly, not wanting to invade his privacy any further and began to creep away. He should be occupied for a bit, Wei Ying thought, finding the silver lining of it all.
“Wei Ying”
Shit.
This was the worst time to be caught, and not just because he was going to lose so many jars of emperor’s smile. He wasn’t sure if he could keep a straight face and pretend that he didn’t see anything. He knew himself too well. His provocative, trouble-making tendencies would most definitely result in him trying to turn the whole situation against Lan Zhan using what he oversaw as leverage. If he was going down, he would take Lan Zhan with him.
His heart beat rapidly, waiting for the window to fly open and for an angry, sexually frustrated, Lan WangJi to appear, neatly list the rules he broke, call him shameless at least once, and then notify him of his morning punishment. It would all be so much more monotonous if Wei Ying wasn’t actively trying to piss the younger Lan off. But this time, this time it was different. This time he was scared. His antics clearly would be seen to have gone too far.
But Lan Zhan never came. Hesitantly, Wei Ying dared to lower his wound-up arms back to his sides and slid back over to the window. He half expected Lan Zhan to be waiting for him on the other side.
Slowly he looked back through the crack in the window. He hadn’t moved.
“Wei Ying” His whispered with an edge of strain to his voice.
Oh...
Wei Ying’s blood ran ice cold, and then flipped immediately to burning hot. He wasn’t prepared for this. He wasn’t prepared for this at all. As quietly and as quickly as he could muster given his shaky arms and palpitating heart, he fled.
When he got back to his room, he ripped the top off the first jar of his emperor’s smile. He was glad that he had decided to get four this time. He was going to need them.