prompts / continuations.

[fennu]

Comments

[lanclan]

Ah. [ His eyes brighten as he starts writing the new translation Jiang Cheng theorises, thumb brushing along a back absently with each stroke. He mutters it back to himself when the neat characters are jotted down in ink and look like they flow better than the nonsense Xichen was writing, satisfied. ] Good work, a-Cheng, I think you did it.

[ Genuinely impressed, he slides his arm down to rest around a waist. Light pressure, gathering him inside his sleeve as he gazes down fondly. ]

You're very good at this.

[fennu]

[ The touch is nice - soothing, almost, leaving little prickles of warmth through the layers of his robe, and Jiang Cheng tries not to focus on it too much, to analyse it too much. It doesn’t have to mean anything - none of this needs to mean more than what it is. ]

It seems my arrival was at least a little fortuitous.

[ He was never the best at things like Wei Wuxian was, but he pushed himself to study well, if only to try and gain a little pride from his parents.

Slowly, almost shyly, he leans into Xichen, trying not to get too embarrassed - a difficult feat given his track record. ]

I practice when I can.

[lanclan]

That is fortunate for me, having so sharp a mind at my disposal.

[ Xichen remains sitting properly but he gathers Jiang Cheng's weight into his side when he feels it resting there, the support of his arm an unwavering band of strength. As he continues writing, he spares him warm glances. ]

If you don't mind staying here with me instead of at your desk, we can work on figuring out this text together. I would appreciate the help.

[ With a nod to the crumbling pages in front of them. ]

[fennu]

That may be taking it too far.

[ This is comfortable, however, and Jiang Cheng leans into the embrace a little more, letting himself settle. It feels like he’s being embraced, held a little more, and he tries not to hyper fixate on how nice it feels to have his body pressed up against someone else’s.

Xichen’s especially. It feels good. ]

I’ll help in any way that I can.

[lanclan]

Good. [ As much as he likes having Jiang Cheng there, Xichen is earnest about his faith in him to translate the texts well. He has no reason to doubt him and finds encouragement is the best addition to any task.

If his fingers drift a little over the sash at Jiang Cheng's waist, well. That's subconscious. ]

Here, you take the brush and try the next line. I'll have a tea break.

[ Since he hasn't had a sip of the pot beside him in a while, and it's a good excuse to admire watch the other man work. ]

[fennu]

You - how long have you been working?

[ It feels painfully intimate - no one has ever been this close to him before, not in anything short of aggression, and for it to be someone as handsome and charming as Lan Xichen… Well, he was fond enough of the man already. To be this close to him, intimately close to him, is a flattery and a source of nervousness both.

He looks down at the next line, trying not to allow himself to get awkward and fail at his given task. ]

Experience does not make me an expert at these things.

[lanclan]

I started a little before six. The day was too too beautiful to miss.

[ Waking up early is ingrained in him as deeply as sitting comfortably without slouching, he simply lives this way. The knowledge that Jiang Cheng was around may have also enthused him. ]

Try not to be nervous, think of what you want to write and note it down. These aren't the final translations, so you can add your own flair. I'd like to see what you interpret the original as.

[fennu]

One day the people of Cloud Recesses might enjoy an extra hour or two, if only once.

[ Jiang Cheng works hard, but the Lan work harder, it seems. He frowns as he leans down to look at the manuscript in front of him, beginning to write out a translation as he does, hand poised - he doesn’t want to do any of this wrong, clearly.

He glances at Xichen almost without thinking about it, happily warm here in his arm, their bodies tucked together.

Imagine if someone walked in. ]

I will do my best.

[lanclan]

I have laid in before.

[ Sipping his tea so as there's no need to add to that, he leans in so their temples are close. This is all so selfish of him, he knows, what with Jiang Cheng specifically being in the region to find a wife, but ...

When he catches that glance, his smile deepens. ]

You'll do just fine, don't worry.

[ He starts reading off what he thinks is the likeliest translation, waiting for Jiang Cheng's input so they can shake it down together. ]

[fennu]

Perhaps not often enough.

[ They’re so close, and with Xichen leaning into him and his voice right there in Jiang Cheng’s ear it’s impossible to focus on anything more than the bare minimum, his cheeks flushing again. He loathes the fact that he doesn’t seem able to control himself around this man - out of respect and pride when younger and shyness now.

Glancing at the paper, he breathes out. ]

You are making it remarkably difficult to focus, a-Huan.

[lanclan]

That sounds like a you-problem, a-Cheng.

[ His smile is a little sly as he tilts his chin up, teasing. The mentor is in play, if only to see what he can and can't get Jiang Cheng to do while tracing circles in the small of his back. ]

Unless you want to skip your work?

[fennu]

Of course not. You brought me here to help you.

[ He’s stoic and determined, or he’s trying to be. He wants to do well here, but focussing is beyond him with the warm touch and gentle hand and Xichen’s face right there. ]

But you’re also distractingly-

[ Handsome. ]

[lanclan]

Hmm?

[ His eyes widen, big and dark like nothing could be hiding in there. No thoughts, head empty! ]

I'm distracting you how?

[fennu]

By being you.

[ Does he have to say it out loud? ]

Handsome. Attractive. Kind.

[lanclan]

[ The way he feels more comfortable pursuing his flirting after hearing that, ahh. ]

Then the options are that we either blind you or I wear a veil forever.

[ He will not stop!! ]

[fennu]

I cannot see how either of those would be helpful!

[ He’s embarrassed enough from having admitted it, flushed and a little overwhelmed. ]

[lanclan]

[ He turns in place to better face him with a sussuration of robes, taking hold of the brush Jiang Cheng has by covering his fingers with a light touch. It works to capture his attention but also to ground him along with the arm around his waist, scooping him forward practically onto Xichen's knees.

As he looks down at him, he softly asks, ]

What else would help?

[fennu]

[ It happens so quickly that Jiang Cheng barely even notices it until it’s done, and then his eyes are stuck gazing at Xichen’s face. He feels as though he might be spluttering, swallowing a little before he licks his lips, breathing out slowly. ]

I… I am not sure I know.

[ He tilts his head up, looking with a softening expression. ]

[lanclan]

[ He offers the solution after following the way those lips are licked by a quick tongue. It feels like holding onto sunlight in his arms after being sheltered under his own shadows for so long, seen and known. ]

Removing the distraction.

[ The brush is set down. Xichen curls his fingers under Jiang Cheng's and brings them to his lips for a light kiss, watching him steadily. Anxiously, it's true, even if he exudes calm. ]

[fennu]

[ Jiang Cheng isn’t sure what he expected Xichen to do, or if he had anticipated that this would happen, but maybe he should have. The idle flirting has led to this, and he tilts his head up to lean into the kiss, pressing their mouths together and humming a little with pleasure.

It feels good - he hadn’t expected a kiss to feel like this. They pause, he leans back, and he breathes out softly. ]

A-Huan…

[lanclan]

[ The kiss lingers, soft and warm as he memorises the feeling of Jiang Cheng's lips under his own. He leans into it and when they part, enough for Xichen to look at that reddened mouth, it's with the sense he's definitely not interested in finding his friend a wife. Couldn't be less invested, really.

A second kiss comes more firmly with him cupping the back of Jiang Cheng's head, fingers buried in long hair, tracing the seam of those lips with a lick to see how he responds to the barest sensual cues. ]

[fennu]

[ It’s suddenly more intense than he’d ever expected it to be, and Jiang Cheng is trying to get his mind to settle around the notion that he’s now kissing Xichen. It feels swift, as if he had moved too fast and skipped a few steps, but given how friendly the two of them had been already… Jiang Cheng can’t deny that he’s more than pleased that this is the outcome.

Tilting his head, he allows himself to let his own arm slip around Xichen’s waist in return, tilted up and pushing back into the kiss. Briefly, he’s confused by the press of a tongue, his mouth opening in a soft gasp before he lets himself lean up, to let the kiss draw out and become something a little more, his fingers gripping at the fabric of Xichen’s robes carefully. ]

[lanclan]

[ It's sweet, the way his Wanyin clings to him. Xichen shows him how to kiss deeply, slow and unhurried about it as he paints the taste of tea around that hot mouth, a quiet moan muffling in place as he draws Jiang Cheng in closer and brushes a thumb under his ear, feeling his thudding pulse.

He should go slower, be more polite, but he likes the way he can affect him so keenly. ]

[fennu]

[ He’s never experienced anything quite as heady as this, and he feels a little bit like he’s drowning in warm water - but it feels good, and he tilts up to ask for more, and there’s an urge to try and get closer, as if he could crawl into Lan Xichen’s lap and take advantage of the moment.

That feels silly.

Leaning back to give himself a moment to gather his senses, he lifts his own hand to touch Xichen’s against his neck, swallowing back the tumbling of words. ]

[lanclan]

[ Flustered isn't the word for Jiang Cheng who, if Xichen is right, has never been kissed before. He sits up a little to rest his chin in soft black hair and gather him in close as Jiang Cheng catches his breath, rubbing his back.

It's cool in the library, nothing like the mini firestorm between between them everywhere they touch. ]

It's okay, you're okay. Take a moment.

[ The imprint of those kisses haunts his lips, tracing them with his tongue where he can't be seen and trying to calm his own racing heartbeat. ]