Lan Xichen lets out a faintly frustrated breath, prompting Meng Yao to look over. They’re in the backyard doing laundry, and Lan Xichen had, once more, firmly requested to wash his own robes.
(”I cannot in good conscience let you do all the work,” he’d insisted in that infuriatingly gentle way of his. ”I’m already putting you at risk with my presence here.”
”That risk has nothing to do with household chores,” Meng Yao had insisted back. ”You already do more than enough, providing talismans and putting that famous Lan arm strength to good use. I don’t think the woodshed has ever been that full.”
”I must insist,” Lan Xichen had said, and what was Meng Yao to do when the most beautiful man in the whole world looked at him with such earnestness?)
He glances at the pale blue, ripped mess in Lan Xichen’s hands and thinks he really should’ve said no.
Had someone told Meng Yao years ago that he’d one day shelter the prestigious First Jade of Lan under his humble roof in the middle of nowhere, he would’ve kept his face pleasantly bland and wondered if that someone was perhaps coming down with something. Like a mental break.
But here he is, sheltering the First Jade of Lan.
And he’s slowly driving Meng Yao to madness.
”As I’ve said, there’s no need to use that much force, Zewu-jun,” he reminds him just like he’s reminded him several times already, and smooths his fingers along a torn weft. ”This kind of fabric needs to be fully submerged, gently moved back and forth, and then carefully brushed. Excessive force rips the structure of the fabric and then it unravels.”
”I’m so sorry, A-Yao,” Lan Xichen says, looking mournfully at him. ”I do try, but it seems like I just can’t manage to grasp it properly.”
Meng Yao wants to roll his eyes. No one can be this hopeless at laundry, right? Lan Xichen has to do this on purpose. ”You play the qin, Zewu-jun. Surely you have experience in how to touch delicate things with care instead of force?”
A half-heartbeat later, he realizes what he just said and keeps a blush from his cheeks by sheer ruthless willpower. He grew up in a brothel, a tame innuendo like this shouldn’t fluster him. He feels Lan Xichen’s eyes on him like a brand; bright and hot and oh-so-lovely, and knows it would be so easy to seduce him. It would be wonderful, he knows.
And yet.
He takes a mental step back and shakes his head, letting out a huff. ”Who would’ve thought the First Jade of Lan would be defeated by wet clothes?”
Lan Xichen’s eyes crinkle up, and he laughs softly. ”It seems like you were right all along, A-Yao. I’m truly not cut out for washing duty,” he says ruefully.
”It’s fine. I’ll do the laundry, you go…sweep the floors,” he says, ducking his head to get away from Lan Xichen’s warm gaze. ”If you break the broom, you have to make a new one.”
”Of course, A-Yao,” Lan Xichen says. He touches Meng Yao on the shoulder lightly as he goes, and the touch lingers for the rest of the day.
Yes.
It would be so very, very simple to seduce Lan Xichen.
He shouldn’t do it, as it would only complicate things in the future.
(Wouldn’t it?)