Work Text:
- Ling Wen
Feng Xin's never really done Valentine's Day.
Sure, two years ago, he and Jian Lan had gone out to the cinema, but if he was going to be honest, it was a shit movie, and there'd been no romantic "one person falls asleep on the other person's shoulder" or any dramatic making out in the back seat. They'd watched the movie, and then Feng Xin dropped her off back home. A normal date, nothing special.
He's not for romantic, candle-lit dinners, either. If you gave him some chocolates, he'd appreciate the sentiment. This isn't a secret, either - Feng Xin really isn’t the person who comes to mind when you think of the words "romantic", "thoughtful", or "caring". He's crass, impatient, and loud.
He’s always thought that Ling Wen knew this, since Ling Wen's a smartass, so it comes as a great shock when she asks him to help her with the stupid Valentine's half prom, half "let's fuck around the school and do nothing" event that happens every year at Jun Wu's High School.
(That's not the official name - the real one is too long to remember, so everyone just calls it JWHS.)
"The - the fuck," Feng Xin splutters, chocolate milk dripping down his chin. He quickly sets the carton down, wiping the liquid away with the scratchy school napkins. "You want me to - to do what now?"
"Was it not clear?" Ling Wen raises an eyebrow (a feat Feng Xin's tried to do, to no avail; he'll never admit it to anybody, but one time he spent half an hour in front of the mirror, just trying to lift his left eyebrow while keeping his right one down). "I want you to assist me in organising the Val - "
"I heard you the first time," Feng Xin snaps. "Just - just - hold on a fucking second."
Ling Wen folds her hands in her lap and stares at him. It's extremely unnerving, but Feng Xin tries to ignore it as he attempts to figure out what the fuck is going on. The - the Valentine's Event? He remembers last year's - the one where Pei Ming was (unfortunately) in charge, the one where pink, red, and white paper streamers were badly taped to the walls, littering the floor, the one where extremely disturbing, half-naked baby Cupid stickers were randomly dotted around the hallways, the one he desperately wants to forget.
"Why - why me?" Feng Xin croaks eventually, meeting Ling Wen's eyes.
"You're the only person I'm comfortable putting in a position of authority who's single and can get along with me, Pei Ming, and Shi Wudu," Ling Wen replies steadily, because of course she's got an answer ready, why wouldn't she?
"Who said I was single?" Feng Xin scowls, picking up his flimsy, plastic spork, nudging the lump in his food which he thinks is supposed to be a carrot.
That, at least, seems to be a bit of a surprise to Ling Wen. She blinks, and Feng Xin's smug for about half a second before she says, "I thought you broke up with Jian Lan."
Feng Xin completely pushes away his tray, eyes boggling at Ling Wen. "I - I did! That was literally two years ago! And we're literally both gay now!"
"But you're not single?"
"Oh my god," Feng Xin moans. "I am capable of getting with people who are not Jian Lan, you know."
"Okay," Ling Wen says. "Who?"
Feng Xin's still reeling from Ling Wen's implied accusation; he tilts his head in confusion, not understanding. "Eh?"
"Who is it?" Ling Wen repeats. "Boyfriend, then?"
"You don't know him," Feng Xin grumbles. "He doesn't go to JWHS."
"Oh," Ling Wen says. A pause, then: "You can just tell me you don't want to do it, you know."
"What?"
"You don't have to pretend to have a boyfriend."
"Wh - the fuck? I'm not pretending! I have a fucking boyfriend!" Feng Xin splutters incoherently, the entire conversation reminding him of why he usually steers far, far away from Ling Wen and her clever mouth (which is genuinely very smart, but that irks him even more).
"Feng Xin," Ling Wen says patiently, and Feng Xin bristles because she's talking to him like he's five, "You are the last person I'd expect to be in a fully committed, healthy relationship - "
"Hey! Jian Lan and I were fine until we... weren't... but that's not - "
" - and I know you haven't been dating around," Ling Wen continues, speaking louder to be heard over Feng Xin's protests, "and when I ask you to help me with a school event that will take up time and effort, you suddenly tell me you have a boyfriend, who suspiciously doesn't go to this school."
Feng Xin groans. He'd just wanted to eat his lunch, and now he's being accused of lying about having a whole boyfriend. Said boyfriend definitely wouldn't be very happy that someone else thought his existence was fake. But, also, said boyfriend isn't here, and can't do shit.
"So," Ling Wen says, after a few seconds of silence, "we'll meet in the library after class to start preparing?"
"You don't believe me," Feng Xin says miserably.
"Nope."
"Nothing I can say will change your mind."
"Yep."
Feng Xin moodily reaches over and stabs the carrot. "I'll see you in the goddamn library, then."
"Good."
- Pei Ming and Shi Wudu
Fuck Ling Wen, honestly.
Well, it's not like Feng Xin had asked for details, but he's pretty sure it would have been courteous to make it a little bit clearer exactly who would be at this meeting. Yeah, maybe she did mention Pei Ming and Shi Wudu, but she never told Feng Xin to expect them. And it would've been nice if she'd stayed around for longer than half an hour.
Pei Ming leans backwards dangerously in his chair (if Feng Xin had a nickel for every time a teacher yelled at Pei Ming for sitting inappropriately, he would be living in a whole mansion), and Shi Wudu scrolls idly through his phone - all in all, the two of them are not very helpful.
"No, I am not letting you near the decorations again," Feng Xin declares, a headache already beginning to form. "I refuse to have another fucking disaster. Did you not think of the absolute mess it would leave behind?"
"Come on, Feng Xin," Pei Ming whines, crossing his arms over his chest. "It was fun! It was colourful! It made the whole place fit the Valentine's vibe!"
"Never say the word 'vibe' in front of me again," Feng Xin scowls, unrelenting. "Those Cupids haunted me for weeks afterwards. Where the fuck did you get so many of them? Actually, better question, where the fuck did you even get them?"
"What about you, ge?" Pei Ming ignores Feng Xin, turning his pout to Shi Wudu, who meets him with a flat stare. "You liked the decorations, right? They were fun, right?"
"Just because you chased me around, tried to tie me up in red ribbons, and kissed me instead of actually confessing, does not mean I liked the decorations," Shi Wudu sniffs, completely unaffected by Pei Ming's pleading expression.
"It worked, though, didn't it?" Pei Ming leans in and gives Shi Wudu a loud, smacking kiss on the cheek.
Feng Xin immediately covers his eyes, rapidly scooting away. "Ugh! Gross. You wouldn't be doing that if Ling Wen was here. Isn't there a fucking no PDA rule? I swear there was a no PDA rule." He cautiously peeks through his fingers, and pulls his chair back to the table when he sees that Pei Ming isn't doing anything else.
"You know no one cares about that," Pei Ming gives half a shrug, leaning back into his chair. "You don't know how many times we've come to get Ling Wen and seen couples in the stacks, eating each others' faces off. I have loads of pictures, wanna see?"
"What the fuck," Feng Xin wrinkles his nose, and stares daggers at Pei Ming's phone, which is innocently lying face-down on the dark brown table, like he's daring it to come closer, even though it's an inanimate object. "No thank you, Jesus Christ, I did not need to fucking know this - "
"Hey, wait a minute," Pei Ming says, like he's just remembered something. "I heard from a little birdie that you've got a boyfriend, Feng Xin. Care to enlighten us?"
Feng Xin glares at Ling Wen's vacated seat, desperately wishing for her to come back, to rope Pei Ming back into good behaviour. "I don't remember Ling Wen being one for gossip."
"You are not in our exclusive friend group," Pei Ming says smugly.
"I don't want to be, you guys are terrifying."
"We are not!"
"Yes, we are," Shi Wudu says dryly.
Pei Ming falters. "We are?"
"Next time, don't threaten to personally guide all the freshmen who ask you for directions during orientation," Feng Xin sighs.
"It wasn't a threat!"
"You wanted to hug them. You called them cute."
"Well, they were - but that isn't the point! Stop changing the subject! Do you have a boyfriend or not?" Pei Ming leans forward conspiratorially, eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Shut the fuck up!" Feng Xin flushes, recoiling backwards. "I'm not telling you shit about my love life, it's not your business."
Pei Ming suddenly loses all steam, slouching into his seat. "So she was right," he moans. He turns and grabs the front of Shi Wudu's shirt, shaking him slightly. "We need to get Feng Xin a real love someday! When's the thing happening?" He immediately lets go - Feng Xin and Shi Wudu exchange exasperated looks as Pei Ming scrolls frantically through his phone. "Okay, it's in two weeks. Ge, we need Feng Xin together with someone in two weeks, do you think we can manage that?"
"Excuse me?" Feng Xin explodes, immediately grateful for the fact that it's out of school hours, otherwise the mean old librarian would be giving him detention for a week because of his volume. "Don't tell me you think I'm lying - "
"Feng Xin ah Feng Xin," Pei Ming says in a tone of voice that makes Feng Xin want to run the fuck away, "it's okay if you don't want to be hit on, but saying you've got a boyfriend as an excuse doesn't always work - "
"What the fuck," Feng Xin splutters, "what the fuck, what the fuck, you don't fucking believe me, why the hell would I lie about having a fucking boyfriend, w - "
"Prove it," Shi Wudu interrupts, finally putting away his phone.
Feng Xin blinks. "Ah?"
"Yes, that's a great idea!" Pei Ming beams at Shi Wudu, then looks at Feng Xin. "Well? Prove it."
"How the fuck do you want me to do that?" Feng Xin groans, thunking his head onto the table. "This isn't fair."
"Just ask him for a picture," Shi Wudu raises his eyebrows. "Can't be that hard, can it?"
Feng Xin scowls. "You're underestimating him. He never takes pictures. He looks constipated in every single photo I've ever seen of him."
"Oh, come on, no one's gonna reject their boyfriend if he asks for a photo," Pei Ming says, waving a hand. "Come on! Ask him!"
Feng Xin wants to cry.
But he pulls out his own phone, opens his messages, and searches for "idiot bf" in his contacts (because his boyfriend is an idiot, obviously, the biggest idiot in the world and Feng Xin loves him), and texts him.
feng xin:
[15:57]
- sned pic
idiot bf:
[15:57]
- Come again?
feng xin:
[15:57]
- send*
idiot bf:
[15:58]
- That's not what I meant
feng xin:
[15:58]
- send me a pic of you, dumbass
- duh
[15:59]
[idiot bf has sent a picture]
[IMAGE ID: a raised middle finger, backlit by the light coming through the window behind the hand]
feng xin:
[15:59]
- fuck you
- a picture of your face, asshole
- not your finger
idiot bf:
[15:59]
- Give me one good reason why I should do that
feng xin:
[15:59]
- bc pei ming asked me to
idiot bf:
[15:59]
- Isn't he another one of the idiots that you complain about
- The one who wears too much yellow
feng xin:
[15:59]
- well yes but thats besides the point
- just send me a mfing photo or else he'll think im lying
idiot bf:
[16:00]
- Lying about what
feng xin:
[16:00]
- lying about the fact that i have a whole boyfriend
- which is you, btw, i think we made that fairly clear
- so stop being so fucking difficult and just take a goddamn selfie
idiot bf:
[16:00]
- No
feng xin:
[16:00]
- bitch
idiot bf:
[16:01]
- I don't take selfies
feng xin:
[16:01]
- you would rather let pei ming think i'm lying about having a bf than send a simple photo?
idiot bf:
[16:01]
- I did technically send a photo
- Now piss off
- I'm busy
Pei Ming clears his throat. "The amount of time you're taking is not helping your case, Feng Xin."
Feng Xin scowls. "He's being difficult. Again. I told you he wouldn't give me a photo."
feng xin:
[16:01]
- pls?? just one photo of you??
- come onnn
- are you really doing this
- hellooooooooo
- wtf where did you go
- hey dont fucking leave me like this
[16:02]
[idiot bf has sent a picture]
[IMAGE ID: it's a picture of a person's - presumably Feng Xin's boyfriend - reflection in a full-length mirror. He is sitting on the bed. a loose ponytail falls over his shoulder, the tips dyed silver. he's wearing tight black jeans, ripped at the knees, and not in a stylistic way - a chain can also be seen hanging from the right pocket. he has knee-high black boots on, though the shoelaces aren't tied. On the top, he's wearing a black hoodie , with a small, cute devil ghost on the left breast. The same ghost is on the left and right wrist. to top it all off, he's also flipping a bird at the camera. unfortunately, he has taken the photo in just the right position, so that his phone completely covers his face.]
idiot bf:
[16:02]
- There.
- Happy?
feng xin:
[16:02]
- fuck off
- do you not understand the word "face"
- ...
- where did you go.
- come back.
- i swear to god
- why do you have to actually fuck off the one time i don't mean it
Feng Xin finally looks up from his phone, brow furrowed in annoyance. He opens up the photo, then shoves it into Pei Ming's face. "There. That's the only usable photo he sent me."
"What do you mean, usa - good lord, that's a photo," Pei Ming chokes, moving to grab the phone.
"Hey, no," Feng Xin says, snatching his hand back. "My phone."
"That looked like a photo of a random person on Instagram," Shi Wudu says.
If looks could kill, Feng Xin would be a murderer - he can't believe what Shi Wudu just said. "Are you trying to make this hard for me? He took the damn picture! What more do you want?!"
"It's okay, Feng-xiong," Pei Ming says good-naturedly, patting Feng Xin's shoulder. "We'll get you someone for you to have fun on V-day with."
Feng Xin, yet again, wants to cry.
- Jian Lan and Xuan Ji
Feng Xin and Jian Lan hadn't spoken for a long time after their explosive breakup - after three months of radio silence, Jian Lan had approached Feng Xin, and soon they struck up their friendship once again. Five months after that, Jian Lan was in another happy, healthy relationship. She and Xuan Ji had gotten on like a house on fire, both single and ready to mingle - Feng Xin had watched the whole thing go down, and of course he'd been happy when the two of them finally started dating.
Of course, he told Jian Lan straight away when he'd started dating his boyfriend of six months. But then he'd never really mentioned him afterwards. Jian Lan and Xuan Ji took up most of the conversation whenever the three of them were together, and Feng Xin didn't want to seem rude, talking about his own relationship. Added to the fact that his boyfriend didn't actually go to JWHS, and lived about two hours away - yeah, Feng Xin didn't see any point in talking about him.
Except for now, of course.
"They didn't believe me," Feng Xin moans. He's complaining at Jian Lan and Xuan Ji right now, as the three of them sit around a table. They're technically supposed to be doing a math project together, but math abso-fucking-lutely sucks, so they're just not doing it right now.
(It's fine, Feng Xin's still got an A in the class. He'll pass. Hopefully.)
"I wonder why," Xuan Ji remarks sarcastically, as she leans over to take a pencil out of Jian Lan's pencil case. "Because you’re obviously the most romantic person out there."
"I can manage!" Feng Xin protests. Then he realises what Xuan Ji's implying. "Are you fucking kidding me? You don't believe me either?"
"I hate to break it to you, Feng Xin," Jian Lan says, sounding completely unapologetic, "but just because you hold doors open for your dates and try to awkwardly hold their hand while watching a movie does not mean you're romantic."
"What the fuck," Feng Xin splutters, as Xuan Ji bursts out laughing. "I - you fucking - I never - what - "
"I hope you kids are doing work over there," the teacher calls from the desk, which immediately sobers them up. They all lean over the table, bending their heads down so that it looks like they're definitely doing some complicated calculus shit right now, yep, what else could they be doing?
"I'm serious, though!" Feng Xin insists, lowering his voice down to a quieter level. "They didn't believe me! Why would I lie about having a whole boyfriend? I don't get it!"
"Did you listen to what I said or not?" Xuan Ji hisses. "You never talk about him!"
"I have my reasons!" Feng Xin scowls, jabbing her arm with the end of his pencil. "And apparently there's no point in talking about him if no one believes he exists!" He looks at Jian Lan pleadingly, and gets a bored stare in return. "Look, I told you about him, didn't I? I told you when we got together! Would I lie to you?"
"I believe you," Jian Lan says, waving a hand. "It's just a little suspicious that I've never seen a picture of him before. And he's never shown up here either."
"How do you even know him if he doesn't go to JWHS?" Xuan Ji frowns, poking Feng Xin's wrist in return.
"We knew each other when we were kids," Feng Xin grits his teeth in frustration. "And then, after a couple of years, he just shows up at the same summer camp I went to. And he was an asshole. And then he asked for my phone number at the end. And then he didn't stop texting me, and then we met up once, and then twice, and then a load more times and then I asked him to be my boyfriend." Feng Xin ignores the fact that he's wildly oversimplifying the entire thing. "Is that so hard to believe?"
"Okay, but no one's ever seen him except for you," Xuan Ji nags. "And you don't look like you're in a relationship in the first place. At least Jian Lan took care of you."
"Excuse me?" Feng Xin's voice raises in volume - he sends a nervous glance towards the teacher's desk, because he's not trying to get in detention again for his loudness (the amount of times he's heard the words 'inside voice, Feng Xin,' is more than he'll ever care to admit), then turns his head back, dropping down to a whisper again. "The fuck is that supposed to mean?"
"You did look a bit nicer when you were dating me," Jian Lan says, to Feng Xin's chagrin. "Luckily, Xuan Ji knows how to take care of herself." She doesn't even look around to see if people are watching before pressing a quick kiss to Xuan Ji's cheek.
"Hey! I'm still here!" Feng Xin covers his eyes immediately, recoiling backwards. "What the fuck is up with people kissing in front of me? I'm not fucking blind!"
"You act like it sometimes," Jian Lan snipes. Feng Xin's about to say something about how he was the one who noticed that one of her shirts was torn one day when she came to school, but before he can open his mouth, he feels a rap on his head. He looks up to see the teacher looking down at the three of them, a disapproving look on her face.
"Focus, kids," the teacher says. "This project is very important for your grade."
The three of them exchange unamused looks as the teacher walks away.
"How much longer do we have of this stupid class," Feng Xin moans, thunking his head onto the table.
"Ten fucking minutes," Xuan Ji sighs, moodily picking up her pencil and doodling what Feng Xin thinks is supposed to be a cat in the corner of her page.
"That's bullshit," Jian Lan groans. "I want to fucking die."
"Ditto," Feng Xin says, blowing his own paper away to the end of the table. And just like that, he completely forgets his indignance about the fact that the two girls probably still don't believe that he's got a boyfriend.
- Shi Qingxuan and He Xuan
Feng Xin doesn't expect to be accosted at his locker as he's trying in vain to stuff his binder into his backpack. Then again, that's very on brand for Shi Qingxuan. Really, it's the only time they talk, since they don't have any classes together, and usually Feng Xin entertains her shenanigans, but right now he's very stressed because the fucking binder won't fucking fit when it fit perfectly fine in the morning, what the fuck, I have a goddamn bus to catch you stupid thing get in the goddamn -
"Hi!"
Feng Xin hits his head on the metal shelf in his locker in surprise, Shi Qingxuan's loud and bright voice is exactly not what he needs right now. "Fuck, ow, shit - " He turns around, glaring at her. "What?"
"Aiyo, Feng-xiong, don't be like that," Shi Qingxuan says in her cheerful tone, bouncing the balls of her feet. "Feng-xiong, is it true what Pei-xiong told me? Do you really need help getting a partner? I have so many numbers, Feng-xiong, I can - "
"What - hold on a fucking second," Feng Xin interrupts. Good god, he does not want to have this conversation - not now, not ever, especially not with Shi Qingxuan. There's nothing wrong with her, but she's also known for being the school's matchmaker, and while the relationships she sets up usually work out, he doesn't want her to get entangled with his love life.
He sighs. "Look, fuck - now's not the time - I have to get this stupid binder into my backpack, I have a bus to get to, and I have a fucking boyfriend, and I can't believe you'd believe anything Pei Ming has to say about relationships that aren't his - actually, all of his were a wreck before Shi Wudu, so I don't know why he's trying to go around talking about mine when I have a boyfriend, and he just won't believe me - "
"Feng-xiong."
Feng Xin stops. He's about to apologise for rambling, but then Shi Qingxuan leans down, pulls a strap out of his backpack, and suddenly the binder falls in. Feng Xin grudgingly picks up his backpack, slinging it over his right shoulder, narrowly missing Shi Qingxuan's face, but the latter doesn't seem to mind - on the contrary, she skips over to Feng Xin's other side, linking arms with him as they walk towards the entrance of the school.
"Okay, but you haven't answered me!" Shi Qingxuan steers him towards the bike rack, where Feng Xin can see that He Xuan is waiting for her, both their bikes already unattached from the rack, ready to leave.
"I don't need to," Feng Xin says shortly. "I have a boyfriend already. No one is fucking believing me. That's it."
Shi Qingxuan pouts. "Don't be so grumpy! Lemme see the picture!"
"What picture?"
"Pei-xiong told me you had a picture!" Shi Qingxuan detaches herself from Feng Xin to give He Xuan a fleeting hug, kissing their nose and giggling at their deadpan expression, but quickly turns back around to look at Feng Xin expectantly.
"Bet your Pei-xiong also told you it was a fake picture," Feng Xin grumbles, reluctantly pulling out his phone. This time, he lets it be taken from him - Shi Qingxuan zooms in on the photo, a critical look in her eyes, tsking slightly.
"I wouldn't say that's a photo off of Instagram," she says with some sort of a finality, handing the phone back.
"Good," Feng Xin says, relieved. "At least - "
"It's got more Pinterest vibes, don't you think?"
Feng Xin stares. "What."
"Come now, you know what I'm talking about!" Shi Qingxuan begins pacing in front of Feng Xin, folding one arm over her chest, using the other one to point around like she's giving a lecture. "The slightly tilted phone. The covering of the face. The dark room, curtains closed. The outfit! Don't get me started on the outfit! That's peak Pinterest right there!"
"What the fuck," Feng Xin states. "I bought him that hoodie."
"Oh, you did?" Shi Qingxuan doesn't even let Feng Xin continue, switching her arms around so that she's pointing with the other arm now. "The slightly dusty mirror. Those boots! I love those boots, where did he get those boots?" She leans in conspiratorially, cupping her mouth, pretending to block He Xuan out of the conversation. "If that really isn't a Pinterest picture, let me know where he got those boots!"
"What the fuck is happening," Feng Xin asks faintly, looking over Shi Qingxuan's head at He Xuan - for guidance? For advice? In confusion? In exasperation? He's not really sure. "Wait, wait, wait - you don't believe me either?!"
"Feng-xiong," Shi Qingxuan says patiently, stopping her pacing, placing her hands on her hips and looking up at him with a gentle expression on her face. "I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt! If he is real, then good for you! If not, then that's an amazing photo that was definitely found on Pinterest, I really need to talk to Pei-xiong about that, you don't find people or pictures like that on Instagram - but still! Don't you think you should show up to the Valentine's event with at least a friend?"
"I don't care," Feng Xin says jerkily. He needs to get on the bus before it leaves, goddamnit. "Do not try to set me up, Shi Qingxuan. I know you mean well but - please don't."
Shi Qingxuan sighs. She spins on her heel, grabbing He Xuan's forearm. "You agree with me, right?"
He Xuan, of course , nods with that same, stony look in their eyes which is there every hour of every day. Feng Xin's sure that they'd agree with Shi Qingxuan with anything.
"Thank you!" She steps forward, putting her hands on Feng Xin's shoulders, and it wouldn't be a lie if he told her that he's feeling vaguely threatened. "Feng-xiong, we just want you to be happy! You know this, right?"
Feng Xin inhales. "Yes. And I am. With my totally real boyfriend." Exhales. "It's okay, Shi Qingxuan. Besides, I'll probably be too busy being in charge of the Valentine's event to actually have fun."
"No, that's so sad!" Shi Qingxuan moans, shaking Feng Xin slightly. "You will have fun! I'll make it super fun for you! I'll get Pei-xiong to help me!"
Feng Xin tries not to wince at the mental image that flits over his mind's eye. "Right, okay, I really need to go now, Shi Qingxuan, bye, please never talk about this with me again - "
"Bye-bye!" Shi Qingxuan waves cheerfully, as Feng Xin quite literally sprints away - he's got a fucking bus to catch, goddamnit.
- Xie Lian and Hua Cheng
Yeah, Feng Xin missed the bus.
He was already in an... aggravated mood from before, and now, with this?
After getting off the phone with his mother (who wasn't angry, thank god), and swearing in front of the curb for ten minutes, he sets off on the twenty minute walk home.
At least the weather is good, right?
Nope.
It starts drizzling five minutes after Feng Xin leaves the school grounds, but luckily, it doesn't seem like it's going to get worse. However, that doesn't change the fact that Feng Xin is going to be drenched by the time he reaches home. Maybe he'll get a cold, he thinks scathingly, so he can leave Jian Lan and Xuan Ji to do the math project for him.
"Feng Xin!"
Feng Xin blinks, looking up from the pathway at the car which has stopped in front of him. "Eh?"
Xie Lian's head is poking out of the window, waving from the shotgun seat. "Come on, get in! Why are you walking in the rain?"
Obviously, Xie Lian's creepy boyfriend is the one driving - which means that Feng Xin tries to open the door three times before Hua Cheng unlocks the door.
"Don't you usually take the bus?" Xie Lian asks conversationally, once Feng Xin buckles his seatbelt, staring daggers at the person in the driver's seat. "You know you'll get sick if you try to walk home in this weather! We'll drive you home, won't we, San Lang? Feng Xin, you'll tell him how to get there?"
"If gege wants me to," Hua Cheng says pleasantly, but his single visible eye glares at Feng Xin through the rearview mirror.
"Oi, don't look at me like that," Feng Xin snaps. "Shi Qingxuan made me late, It wasn't my fault," Feng Xin scowls. "Hang on - Xie Lian, you know I have a boyfriend, right?"
"You do?" Hua Cheng actually sounds surprised for once, but Feng Xin is sick of people being shocked that he's in a relationship, so he can't really bask in the glory of finally catching Hua Cheng off-guard.
"Yes, I do," Xie Lian says, a bit confused. "Why?"
"Because no one believes me when I tell them I have one!" Feng Xin groans. "It doesn't make sense! Other people have partners and everyone's like 'oh wow, congratulations,' but when it comes to me? No one gives a shit!"
"There's a reason for that, you know," Hua Cheng snarks.
Feng Xin flips him a bird. "Shut the fuck up, I don't need to hear that again. Turn right."
"Who asked you about your relationship?" Xie Lian asks placatingly.
Really, Feng Xin doesn't get how Xie Lian can make anybody calm down in any given circumstance, but he somehow manages to do it, and right now is no exception. "Well, first it was Ling Wen, because she wanted me to help her organise that Valentine's event, and then it was Pei Ming and Shi Wudu because they're also helping her, and then it was Jian Lan and Xuan Ji - "
"I thought you told Jian Lan about him too - "
"I did ! Then it was Shi Qingxuan and He Xuan, and now it's you two. And I already know you don't believe me," Feng Xin says quickly, as Hua Cheng opens his mouth, "so you can just shut the fuck up right now - but Xie Lian! You have to believe me! Turn left," he adds, seeing his neighbourhood coming up on the side of the road.
"Jian Lan didn't believe you?" Xie Lian asks, confused.
"Well, she didn't say she did," Feng Xin grumbles. "So I guess she might've... but she would have said something! Right?"
"Well," Xie Lian hesitates, "maybe not... if she wanted to..."
"Make fun of you," Hua Cheng pipes up. "Don't be afraid to say it, gege. She was making fun of him."
"Fuck off," Feng Xin scowls. "Just because everyone knows that you're in a relationship doesn't mean you get to rub it in my face. Take the next left."
"Just invite your boyfriend over," Xie Lian says. "Wouldn't that make people believe you? If he shows up?"
"He lives two hours away," Feng Xin mutters dejectedly. "I wouldn't make him come all the way just for, like, ten minutes. He'd call me needy or something."
Hua Cheng snorts. "Are you sure you two are boyfriends? Doesn't sound very nice."
"Yes, we are, shut up," Feng Xin growls, taking off his wet shoe to kick the back of Hua Cheng's seat. "He's not nice. I'm not nice. Suck it up."
"Feng Xin," Xie Lian chides. "Put your shoe back on, okay?"
Feng Xin puts his shoe back on.
"He'll visit eventually, yes?" Xie Lian continues, looking over his shoulder and giving Feng Xin what he thinks must be a pitying look. "Just introduce him to everyone! I'm sure Pei Ming will throw a party sometime soon, maybe you can invite him to that!"
"He hates parties," Feng Xin sighs. "There's no way I'd be able to convince him."
"Not even if you just say you want to spend time with him?" Xie Lian sounds shocked, but Feng Xin's not really that surprised - of course that's Xie Lian's suggestion, wholesome and a bit naïve, but it's Xie Lian, what else would you expect?
"Gege, not everyone spends so much time together like we do," Hua Cheng says gently, a voice he only ever uses when talking to Xie Lian. "I'm sure all Feng Xin and his boyfriend do is yell at each other."
"Hey, I'm still here," Feng Xin says loudly.
"Am I wrong?" Hua Cheng asks, a smug smirk appearing on his face when Feng Xin doesn't respond.
The car falls silent after that, Feng Xin piping up every so often to give directions that Hua Cheng follows silently, much to Feng Xin's satisfaction. Occasionally Xie Lian will strike up a conversation that dies out pretty quickly - Feng Xin suspects that his presence here is stopping a lot of flirting and rather personal details from being spoken, but he's sure as hell not complaining.
"Thanks," Feng Xin says reluctantly to Hua Cheng, willingly to Xie Lian, as they pull up to his house - he can see his mother's vague silhouette through the bay window. He ignores the prideful look on Hua Cheng's face as he leans down to wave at Xie Lian before walking up the driveway.
"Wait, wait, Feng Xin!"
Feng Xin pauses, turning on his heel. "Eh?"
"Do you want me to talk to - uh, at least Pei Ming and Shi Qingxuan? I can probably try to convince them that you really are dating someone, if they hear it from someone else they might be persuaded to believe you?"
Feng Xin blushes - he's never really used the word 'dating', even though it's about as romantic as the word 'boyfriend', and to hear it coming out of Xie Lian's mouth... it makes him feel like he's doing something he's not supposed to be doing, but he also knows that Xie Lian's literally dating Hua Cheng as they speak, so -
"Um," Feng Xin says oh-so-eloquently, yanking his thoughts back into order. "Uh. No, it's okay, I'll just - actually, I have no idea what I'm going to do - it'll be fine! Yeah, it'll be fine, you don't need to worry."
"If you say so!" Xie Lian waves one last time, beaming at Feng Xin. Hua Cheng rolls the window back up, and the look he sends Feng Xin before he pulls away makes the latter think he's being threatened, though he's not exactly sure how.
When Feng Xin finally trudges into his bedroom, he throws his backpack onto the floor, and face-plants onto his bed, groaning loudly.
Fuck. He wishes his boyfriend was here.
Two hours is too long for either of them to travel - so he only goes to visit for special occasions, and vice versa. And it's been six months since their last visit, because his boyfriend had been too busy this past winter break to make time for Feng Xin to come over. They still call every night, and they text whenever Feng Xin gets the chance, but FaceTimes are rarer; most of the time, both of them are too tired to have to deal with being in view of the camera. So while it's not like Feng Xin's being completely deprived of his boyfriend, he still wishes to hold him and kiss him and to just have him in his arms.
If he were here, Feng Xin thinks dryly, I wouldn't have to deal with everyone's shit about how I don't seem like I have a boyfriend.
Whatever. Fuck it. Feng Xin needs a long shower. And a nap.
+1. “Pinterest Boy”
It could've been worse, Feng Xin thinks, as he looks around the crowded gym. It could have been a lot worse.
He'd managed to reach an agreement with the amount of streamers that they were going to put up, but Ling Wen had pulled him over to the side to ask him about the food before he could make Pei Ming promise not to go all-out with the decorations this year. Fortunately, Pei Ming and Shi Qingxuan must have made a deal together, even though Shi Qingxuan technically didn't have to help - the decorations are actually tasteful this year (apart from those stupid Cupid stickers that Pei Ming somehow managed to sneak in, but thank the Lord it's less than last year), and they've all been put up properly.
Feng Xin's not sure how Ling Wen was allowed to use as much money as she did to buy pizza for... a lot of people (like, a shit load of people), and he also doesn't want to know where the fuck Shi Wudu got so many coolers, but if it means he gets to eat free dinner and have free, cool soda at the same time? He's not complaining.
Like right now, when Feng Xin's on his third Sprite of the night, holding it first to his neck and forehead in an attempt to cool himself down, because running around trying to manage this many teenagers while being one himself, coupled with the fact that the school is fucking hot right now - he's fucking tired, man, all he wants to do right now is sit down and maybe, possibly call his boyfriend, because it is Valentine's Day, after all.
He leaves the gym with no regret - it's full of sweaty teenagers, he doesn't wanna be there - and walks past the cafeteria to the side hallway, where he knows Quan Yizhen and Yin Yu are offering to take pictures for any couples who want them. Currently, Shi Qingxuan and He Xuan are in front of the camera - Shi Qingxuan is posing non-stop, her cheerful smile ever-present, while He Xuan stands in the same, stock-still position, their classic stony look on their face. It's kind of funny - Feng Xin sits himself down against the wall, cross-legged on the floor, taking his own photos for the heck of it.
"Feng-xiong!" Shi Qingxuan greets enthusiastically, as Yin Yu finally ushers her out of the camera's view. "You did such a good job! It's so fun!"
"Thanks," Feng Xin sighs. You know what? Yeah, he did do a good job. He spent some fucking effort on this, he's glad someone sees it. "I wasn't the only one, though," he adds, because he's also a good person. "Ling Wen did the money side of things, it's good that she actually enjoys math."
Shi Qingxuan waves a hand. "Yes, yes - " She suddenly squeals, and Feng Xin recoils immediately, rubbing his ear. "Feng-xiong! Feng-xiong!"
"What?" Feng Xin says, a bit aggressively, because good lord Shi Qingxuan can be loud when she wants to.
"Feng-xiong, it's Pinterest Boy!"
Feng Xin nearly drops his can of Sprite. "Eh? Who? Pinterest Boy? Who the fuck - "
Shi Qingxuan excitedly points to the other end of the hallway - Feng Xin follows her finger, and this time he does drop the can.
Because Mu Qing is here.
"Aiyo!" Shi Qingxuan puts her hands on her hips. "Turns out he is real! And he came here wearing the same outfit, Feng-xiong, you're - huh? Feng-xiong?"
Feng Xin can't hear her, because he's already run down the hallway, skidding to a stop in front of Mu Qing, eyes wide, heart pounding like a drum in his chest - he doesn't know where to put his hands, he doesn't know what to say, he doesn't - he can't -
"Take your time," Mu Qing says dryly, but he crosses his arms in front of his chest, the way he does when he's faintly embarrassed. "I spent two hours coming here, what's another two centuries?"
"Shut up," Feng Xin says faintly. "Shut - shut up and just - shut up."
Mu Qing, thankfully, shuts up.
Shi Qingxuan is right - Mu Qing's wearing the exact same outfit from the photo, little devil and all. The same ripped jeans (Feng Xin remembers how they were ripped, because he was there), the same untied shoelaces (Feng Xin keeps telling Mu Qing that he'll trip, but somehow he never does), and the way his eyebrow is raised as he gazes at Feng Xin is exactly the same, annoying and achingly familiar. Feng Xin's only seen Mu Qing through his small phone screen for the past six months, and to finally see it in person, face to face, he can't - he can't help but stare, stare at the face that he hasn't seen properly for so long -
Even with Mu Qing's seemingly uninterested countenance, Feng Xin knows he's as just affected - he knows it in the way he doesn't recoil at their proximity, the way his arms aren't held tightly over his chest - rather in front of a stone wall, Feng Xin finds himself a door that's just heavily guarded and locked, and Feng Xin has a key, and all he needs is a chance to use it.
"Done yet?" Mu Qing sounds impatient, but Feng Xin knows he's seconds from opening, seconds from letting him in, and he just needs to wait, wait for that in, wait for - "Are you going to kiss me or not?"
There it is.
Feng Xin surges forward, cupping Mu Qing's face in his hands, kissing him fiercely - they haven't seen each other in person for six months, he's allowed to have this, he's allowed to revel in the small gasp Mu Qing makes against his lips, and in return, Mu Qing's finally able to move his hands to Feng Xin's waist, to sneak his thumb underneath Feng Xin's shirt, to rub small circles at the bare skin underneath. He's a bit too harsh in the beginning, and without breaking the kiss, Feng Xin reaches down and slaps his wrist, earning a pinch in return, and god Feng Xin wants to just hold him for an eternity, let him have this, let him -
"Feng-xiong!"
Mu Qing wrenches his mouth away from Feng Xin's lips, breathing heavily, eyes out of focus and dazed. "Who's that?"
"That's Shi Qingxuan," Feng Xin says, totally not salty about the fact that they've been interrupted. "You know. The one who poured chocolate milk over her breakfast pancakes that one time."
Mu Qing rolls his eyes, and the sight is so annoyingly him that Feng Xin leans in for another kiss. This one's tamer, sweeter - Feng Xin's right hand curls into Mu Qing's hair, toying with the silver strands, brushing against Mu Qing's neck the way Feng Xin knows he likes it.
"Feng-xiong!" Shi Qingxuan says, and she finally sounds a little bit desperate. "Feng-xiong, please - "
Feng Xin scowls, turning around. "What - oh."
"What the hell," Mu Qing splutters from behind him.
Pei Ming, Shi Wudu, Ling Wen - basically everyone who Feng Xin had spoken to two weeks ago who didn't believe he had a boyfriend are all standing there, amused looks on some of their faces, slightly shocked ones on others. After a few seconds of silent debating, Feng Xin flips a bird at them, slightly turns his head to press a kiss on Mu Qing's cheek, which is red from embarrassment, then turns back and raises his eyebrows, daring anyone to challenge him.
"Do you believe me now?" Feng Xin asks smugly, throwing an arm over Mu Qing's shoulders.
"Feng Xin!" Xie Lian shrills - oh, shit, Feng Xin's suddenly regretting the finger he had just shot in that general direction. "You didn't tell me it was Mu Qing!"
Mu Qing wrenches himself from Feng Xin's grasp, face beautifully aflame, a dumbstruck expression on his face. "You never mentioned my name? At all? What the fuck - Feng Xin, you can't fucking do this to me - who did you - you never thought to tell them my name?"
Feng Xin scratches the back of his head sheepishly, feeling pinned down by Mu Qing's accusing gaze. "Um - well. They never asked! So you can't blame me!"
"Feng Xin," Mu Qing groans, "a name is the most important thing you tell other people when you're talking about someone!"
"Shut up!" Feng Xin's flushing himself now, glaring somewhere near Mu Qing's feet. "Shut the fuck up, they didn't believe me in the first place, what makes you think a name would fucking help?"
"I hate you," Mu Qing moans. "You're so stupid."
"Are you guys flirting?" Pei Ming interrupts - Feng Xin startles, looking back over in that direction. Everyone's still there, but Xie Lian and Hua Cheng have moved over to Quan Yizhen and Yin Yu - the latter looking a bit scared, for some reason. "Is this how you guys flirt? Should I get popcorn?"
"We didn't get popcorn this time," Ling Wen interjects. "I told you this before."
Pei Ming pouts, nudging her with his elbow. "Don't ruin my fun!"
The two of them enter a bit of a scuffle themselves - Feng Xin glances over at Mu Qing, who still has his feet spread apart in the domineering way he unconsciously takes when he's angry or upset. He takes a step forward, and Mu Qing's eyes immediately snap to him, pinning him in place.
"You are the stupidest man in existence," Mu Qing declares.
Despite himself, Feng Xin feels a grin sneaking its way onto his face. "I know."
"Kiss me again, you dumbass," Mu Qing says, and Feng Xin does.
"Hang on," Feng Xin says later, as the two of them are sitting on the bleachers outside, legs pressed together as they watch people run around on the field. "Why are you here?"
Mu Qing rolls his eyes. "What do you think?"
Feng Xin frowns.
Mu Qing barks out a laugh. "Do you seriously have to think about it?"
Feng Xin elbows him. "Shut up."
"Dumbass."
"Shut up!"
Mu Qing takes a sip out of the can of Sprite that Feng Xin had been unable to finish. "Don't worry, I won't be going anywhere. Take your own sweet time."
"Well, you're here to see me, I know that," Feng Xin says slowly. He pointedly does not look at Mu Qing's amused expression, ignoring how Mu Qing seems all too happy to watch Feng Xin try and put together the pieces.
"No, I came here for the ugly Cupids," Mu Qing snipes sarcastically. "Of course I came for you, idiot."
"Hush," Feng Xin says. "But you can see me any day. What the hell made you come out here? It's a two hour long ride!"
"I'm glad that you've acknowledged my sufferings," Mu Qing hums, leaning back and tilting his head up to finish the rest of the Sprite. "Truly, it means a lot."
"Fuck off," Feng Xin scowls. "Wait, today's Valentine's Day."
Mu Qing raises one (stupidly elegant) eyebrow. "Yes."
"You came here."
"Yes."
"You spent two hours getting here and snuck into the school because it was Valentine's Day?"
The red creeps up on Mu Qing's face, high on his cheekbones and spreading over his nose. "That's what people do on Valentine's Day, idiot." His voice drops down to something softer, something sweeter. "They spend time with their b-boyfriends."
Feng Xin doesn't miss the stutter - and neither does Mu Qing, as the latter turns his head away in embarrassment, avoiding Feng Xin's gaze.
"And, anyways," Mu Qing continues, his tone stronger now, "it proves that you've got a boyfriend. And that's all you wanted, right?"
Feng Xin laughs. "So you're wearing these clothes on purpose?"
"Of course I am. Idiot."
"Asshole. Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"
"That ruins the surprise, obviously."
"I don't like surprises."
Mu Qing finally looks back at him, turning his chin up, a challenging glint in his eyes. "You like me."
"No, I don't," Feng Xin says, grabbing said chin. He leans in, wrapping his arm around Mu Qing's back. "I love you."
"You're so cheesy," Mu Qing mumbles. Feng Xin kisses him - on his lips, on his nose, right between his eyebrows, then on the top of his head.
"Stop it, you're so embarrassing," Mu Qing grumbles, trying to shove Feng Xin away, but Feng Xin doesn't budge, catching Mu Qing's mouth smoothly with his own, bracing a hand on the metal bleacher beneath them.
"You were the one who took a two hour bus ride just for me," Feng Xin grins.
"I'm starting to regret it."
"No, you aren't."
"Yes, I am," Mu Qing scowls.
Feng Xin kisses him again. "Love you." He does get off though, leaning backwards onto the seat behind him, face turned up towards the sun.
"Love you too," Mu Qing mumbles quietly, barely more than a whisper, but Feng Xin hears it - plus, when the latter glances over, the red on Mu Qing's cheeks speaks louder than Mu Qing himself ever could.
Feng Xin smiles, tilting his head back to the setting sun. He wants to have this moment with Mu Qing's presence by his side - he's allowed to have this, goddamnit.
And he's finally proven that he has a boyfriend.