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courtonfire · 1 year

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Foxxian + Dragonji bookstore/cafe, friends to lovers AU 🥰☕️📖

Lan Wangji's tail swishes with anticipation as he watches the door from behind the register.

Any minute now, his cozy, peaceful cafe/bookstore will be filled with all the chaos a Hulijing has to offer. His heart dance

The customers have long since been chased away by the small snowstorm outside, leaving the cafe in comfortable silence.

In the center of the room, surrounded by large chairs, a fire crackles eagerly, offering its heat and warm, flickering light to the space. Outside, snow drifts lazily to the ground. For now, it lays pristine and undisturbed, but it's nearly 7pm, which means any second now --

Bright laughter floats in from outside, as though carried in by a wayward snowflake. Lan Wangji sits up straighter. Its source bounces into view of the large windows a second later. Lan Wangji watches fondly as the hulijing kicks up the snow and attempts to catch falling flakes in his mouth.

The top of his head is covered by a bright red beanie, with space for his blackish-grey ears to stick out. What is visible of his long, raven hair is speckled with white spots of snow, as are the nine bushy tails behind him. The rest of him is covered by a large, black cloak with a gold pattern stitched onto it. Jyl must have gifted it to him for his birthday a few weeks ago, Lan Wangji guesses. It's a nice replacement for the ratty, faded red coat he used to wear.

As though sensing Lan Wangji's insult to his former favorite jacket, the Hulijing abruptly spins around to look through the window. Silver eyes lock onto him immediately and a wide smile stretches across the fox spirit's face, sharp fangs visible. He quickly bounds to the door, still kicking up as much snow as possible as he goes.

"Lan Zhan!!" He cries, pushing the door open. Lan Wangji isn't sure if Wei Wuxian's presence or the cold air fills the space faster, but they each slam into him with great force.

"Wei Ying." The corners of his lips tick up in a soft smile. Wei Wuxian's gaze softens ever so softly. He skips over and rests his elbows on the counter, leaning into Lan Wangji's space, the way he always does. It once irritated Lan Wangji beyond all reason, but now it feels like a relief. Like the warm sun has finally decided to kiss his chilled skin.

"What do you have for me today?" Wei Wuxian asks with an eager grin.

"Due to the weather, the special today was a hot chocolate with..." Lan Wangji intentionally trails off. It has the intended effect.

Wei Wuxian's eyes sparkle with interest. He leans a little closer.

"Oh? Is there something more?"

"Mn. Chili peppers."

Wei Wuxian gasps dramatically and reels back, out of Lan Wangji's space. It doesn't feel like a loss in the face of such clear delight.

"Chili peppers?! No way!?"

"Yes way," Lan Wangji answers mildly. Wei Wuxian tilts his head back in a laugh. "Lan Zhan, you are too much!" He declares, ears twitching happily. "I'll take one of those!"

Lan Wangji nods and sets off to make it, intentionally not charging him, as always. And as always, Wei Wuxian stuffs far too much money in the tip jar when he thinks Lan Wangji isn't looking. They fall into a comfortable silence as Lan Wangji makes the drink. Wei Wuxian browses the new arrivals section absentmindedly. When he finds one that intrigues him, he carefully tugs it out and flips through it.

"Hey, Lan Zhan," he calls just as Lan Wangji is squirting an unreasonable amount of whipped cream onto his drink, the way he knows Wei Wuxian likes. As an afterthought, he sprinkles an extra dusting of chili powder as well.

"How long do you think I've been a regular here now?"

Lan Wangji sets the drink on the counter and considers it. "Hm. Around eight months, I believe."

Eight lovely, wonderful, warm months of Wei Wuxian visiting him every evening at 7, no matter the weather or the kind of day he's had.

"Eight months? Wow," Wei Wuxian shakes his head in disbelief. He slides the book back onto the shelf and returns to the counter. He pulls the warm mug into his hands but doesn't drink from it yet.

"And..." He hesitates. Concerned curiosity teases Lan Wangji's mind. Wei Wuxian very rarely hesitates unless he's talking about something especially serious. "Do you think... um, do you think we're friends?"

Lan Wangji blinks. That was not the question he was expecting.

"Yes, of course," he answers immediately. The tension drains from Wei Wuxian's shoulder and he offers him a relieved smile.

"Okay, good. I think so too, but I wasn't sure..."

"You weren't sure I felt the same," Lan Wangji finishes for him, heart twisting painfully in his chest. "Wei Ying, I look forward to your visits every day. Getting to know you has brought me great joy over the past several months."

As he speaks, Wei Wuxian's eyes grow wider, a bright flush rising high on his cheeks. "I hope to keep you in my life for many years to come."

Wei Wuxian squeaks and lifts the mug to hide his face. "Lan Zhaaaaan," He whines, ears flat against his head. "You can't just say things like that! My heart can't take it! Are you trying to kill me?!"

Lan Wangji huffs and moves to wipe down the tools he used for the drink.

"Of course not. That would contradict my previous statement."

"Well, how am I supposed to know when you say things like that?" Wei Wuxian lowers the drink to pout at him. "It sounds genuine on the surface, but I really almost had a heart attack, er-gege! How do I know that wasn't your intention all along?!"

Lan Wangji peers at him from the corner of his eye, intentionally letting it glow a little.

"You don't," he says darkly. It gets the desired reaction.

Wei Wuxian's jaw drops in horror, but his eyes shine with glee, tails flicking happily behind him. "I knew it!" He gasps. "This has been your plan all along hasn't it?!"

Lan Wangji curls his tail around his own leg and looks away. "Maybe. Maybe not."

A wide, toothy grin cracks Wei Wuxian's mock scared expression. "Well, I've got my eye on you now, er-gege! You won't be able to take me out so easily!"

"We'll see."

Wei Wuxian laughs and finally brings the hot chocolate to his mouth. The second the liquid hits his tongue, his eyes roll back in an exaggerated moan. The pointed tips of Lan Wangji's ears burn. He hurries to cover them with his hair before Wei Wuxian notices.

"Mmmm this is so good, Lan Zhan!" He cries. "Definitely the best I've ever tasted. You may not be able to top this, honestly."

Lan Wangji preens at the high praise. "I will try my best," he promises.

Wei Wuxian grins at him. On his nose is a small dollop of whip cream. Lan Zhan leans back and tightly grips the counter behind him to prevent himself from leaning forward to kiss it off. They fall back into silence, occasionally broken by Wei Wuxian's quiet sounds of enjoyment and words of praise.

When he finishes the beverage, he leans back with a satisfied sigh, rubbing his belly happily.

"So good," he mumbles, eyes half-lidded. The combination does unspeakable things to Lan Wangji's self-control, so he busies himself with emptying the pastry cabinet in preparation for tomorrow.

Wei Wuxian watches him quietly, tails swishing lazily. When Lan Wangji absentmindedly slides him a leftover lotus cake he knows he likes, his expression turns thoughtful.

"Say, Lan Zhan," he starts, leaning forward to rest his head on his hand.

Lan Wangji hums, not looking up from his task.

"Do you happen to have any relationship advice books?"

Lan Wangji pauses.

"...Relationship advice books?"

"Mhm," Wei Wuxian confirms, watching him closely. "See, there's someone I want to woo, but I'm not sure how to go about it. I feel like I've tried everything, but nothing seems to work."

At this, his bottom lip juts out in a pout, ears drooping sadly. Lan Wangji hardly notices. A loud buzzing fills his ears, dulling his senses. He feels like a movie character in a scene where a bomb has gone off nearby. Stumbling around, shaken and confused, trying to figure out what happened. There's an empty spot where a large structure used to be and a new reality needs to be processed.

Wei Wuxian has someone he wants to woo -- someone he wants a relationship with. "And since I happen to have a friend with a cafe slash bookstore," Wei Wuxian is saying, oblivious to his plight. "I thought maybe he'd have something to help me out."

And he wants Lan Wangji's help to do it. A growl builds in his chest at the thought of helping put Wei Wuxian in another person’s arms. He forces it down, along with all the other unreasonable feelings of jealousy and bitter disappointment. No matter how bad Lan Wangji wants him to, Wei Wuxian does not belong to him. Nor does he owe him anything.

Lan Wangji developed these feelings by himself. They are his own problem. Wei Wuxian is under no obligation to return or take responsibility for them.

He is coming to Lan Wangji as a friend. And so a friend he will be.

"The self-help section is the case closest to the window. Relationship advice books are on the second shelf."

Wei Wuxian chirps his thanks and skips to the indicated location. As he browses his tongue pokes out between his teeth.

He looks so pretty like this, curious and determined. Lan Wangji wants to carry him up to his apartment upstairs and hide him from whoever is trying to steal him away. The pastry plate in his hands almost shatters from his tight grip. He rips his eyes away and still his tail that had begun flicking angrily across the floor.

It is time to do the dishes, he decides. In the back, where Wei Wuxian is well out of sight. Perhaps the sound of the rushing water will drown out his shameful thoughts.

---

"Lan Zhaaan," Wei Wuxian singsongs when Lan Wangji shuts the water off. "Come help!"

Lan Wangji takes a deep breath to brace himself, then steps back to the front. Doing the dishes did indeed help him calm down a bit. Which is good because he has a feeling things are about to get a lot worse.

Wei Wuxian fixes him with a teasing grin when he comes into view.

"Er-gege, isn't it poor business practice to leave your favorite customer all alone?"

"I did not leave my favorite customer alone. Just a regular one," Lan Wangji deadpans.

Wei Wuxian sputters. "You --! You are so mean!"

"No one believes me when I say you're the meanest person around, yet the proof is right here!"

Lan Wangji raises a brow. "No one believes that?"

Wei Wuxian deflates a little. "Yeah, okay, everyone believes that one -- but they shouldn't!"

A swirl of happiness curls in his gut. If Wei Wuxian ever thought him mean or cold and unapproachable, he did so with gleeful amusement. A rare person who appreciates a rose's thorns, even when they prick his finger.

"But still!" Wei Wuxian cries. "You're not closed yet. What if someone came in?! I called for you so many times, but you didn't answer! I would have had to make that hot chocolate myself!"

Lan Wangji shudders at the thought of anyone tasting something Wei Wuxian made with easy access to spice. "Exactly! Very irresponsible of you, er-gege," he scolds.

Lan Wangji doesn't roll his eyes, but it's a close call.

"There is a storm and I close in 15 minutes. It is unlikely someone would come in."

"You called for my help?" he reminds. "Ah, yes!" Wei Wuxian jerks upright and slides a book towards him.

'How to Get the Man of Your Dreams in 5 Simple Steps' the title reads.

The urge to burn it is so strong tendrils of smoke slip out of Lan Wangji's nose. Luckily, Wei Wuxian is too busy flipping to the table of contents to notice. "Okay, so I'm gonna read out this person's ideas one by one, and you tell me if you think they would work on you."

Lan Wangji pauses. "On me?"

Wei Wuxian hums an affirmative. His ears twitch like he's nervous, but Lan Wangji doesn't know why he would be. "Yeah, I mean, you've gotta be one the toughest nuts to crack in the whole world," he laughs, the sound a bit pitchier than normal. "So if it works on you, then it could work on anyone, right?"

"Perhaps," Lan Wangji agrees slowly. "But everyone is different."

And much less biased than he is, he doesn't say. Anything Wei Wuxian does works on him, even breathing.

"Not that different or chumps like this would never sell anything! So just listen, okay?"

"Mn."

"Alright, the first one is easy. Make eye contact."

Lan Wangji's brows scrunch. How does that count as a first step? He tries to look at the book, but Wei Wuxian sweeps it out of sight.

"Ah, ah, ah!" Wei Wuxian chides. "Don't look away. You gotta try it to know if it'll work, okay?"

Lan Wangji hesitates. "I thought you were just going to say them?"

"I will say them," Wei Wuxian confirms. "But how will you know it'll really work if you don't try it?"

That is... somewhat true. But still, this seems a bit odd.

"Just trust me, okay Lan Zhan?" Wei Wuxian looks at him with pleading eyes.

"...Mn," Lan Wangji agrees. When their eyes finally lock, Lan Wangji can suddenly no longer recall why he felt uncertain. Satisfaction swirls in those silver eyes, drawing him in like a siren's song. He's always known how beautiful they are, but never how dynamic. Every shade of grey seems to be hidden in their depths. Lan Wangji thinks he could spend hours cataloging each fleck. Maybe he could even publish the results.

"Good boy," Wei Wuxian murmurs. "Is this working for you?"

"..Mn," Lan Wangji croaks.

"Okay," Wei Wuxian says breathily. "Okay, that's good."

"All these steps need to be combined, so don't look away."

"I won't." He couldn't, even if he wanted to. Wei Wuxian has had him completely enthralled from the moment he first stepped through the door all those months ago.

"The second step says to hold their hand." Lan Wangji reaches out his hand with no hesitation. Half a beat later, warm fingers lace between his and squeeze. Oxygen shakes and rattles its way out of Lan Wangji's lungs. He squeezes back.

There's something in Wei Wuxian's eyes that Lan Wangji can't quite place. But it fills him with tentative hope. "This doing anything?"

Lan Wangji nods slowly, like honey dripping from a spoon. "Mn."

"Good," Wei Wuxian murmurs. "Third step is to smile."

A soft smile stretches across his lips, as easy as breathing. Lan Wangji has seen a lot of Wei Wuxian's smiles. Each one has a special place in his mind and in his heart, but this one may be his favorite.

"This one also works," he concludes without prompting.

Wei Wuxian chuckles and squeezes his hand again.

"I'm glad. Three out of five so far isn't bad. Maybe this book isn't total garbage."

"It does not seem to be," Lan Wangji agrees. "Fourth step?"

Wei Wuxian inhales shakily and nods. "Fourth step is to tell them what you like about them."

An emotion fleets across his face, but it hardens into determination before Lan Wangji can read it.

"Lan Zhan, you are one of the kindest men I have ever met. It is one of the world's greatest atrocities that some people are too dense and self-absorbed to see how smart, wonderful, funny, and thoughtful you are. I hate to think of what my life would look like without you in it,” he pauses to take a deep breath, then continues.

“If that's too broad, then I also like the way your eyes sparkle when you talk about the latest piece you learned on the guqin or a cute rabbit picture you saw earlier. I love how you challenge me, but never in a way that makes me less. And, in the beginning, it fascinated me how someone who seemed so cold could design a space as warm and inviting as your cafe is. I didn't believe you did it yourself for weeks, Lan Zhan!" His laughter fades into a fond smile. "But that was just because I didn't know you yet. Now I can see how it perfectly reflects you."

"Wei Ying," Lan Wangji gasps. It's a miracle Wei Wuxian's bones haven't been crushed from how tightly Lan Wangji is gripping his hand. He should lighten his hold, but his muscles refuse to comply. "Wei Ying I --"

"Step 5," Wei Wuxian stops him. The words sound as though they're stumbling out of him, like if he stops now, they may never be heard. "Is to confess your feelings and hope to the heavens that they're returned because you have no idea what you'll do if they're not."

Wei Wuxian takes a deep breath and allows his eyes to slip closed. Silence blankets the room. Lan Wangji watches him closely, his breath frozen in his lungs.

It seems Lan Wangji was wrong. The spell he's been under was not caused by those gorgeous silver orbs, but by Wei Wuxian's mere existence. Wei Wuxian visibly steels himself and when his eyes open, they pierce straight into Lan Wangji's soul.

"I love you, Lan Zhan. You're the best person I have ever known and I've been in love with you for a long time now. And, if you'll allow it, I'm sure I will be for the rest of my life."

It takes half a second for Lan Wangji to lunge over the counter and pull him into a searing kiss.

Another half second for Wei Wuxian to overcome his surprise and enthusiastically throw himself into it. Five minutes for Lan Wangji to flip the store sign to close and tug Wei Wuxian towards the stairs, their lips never parting.

10 minutes to realize he never responded and fervently whisper "I love you, I love you, I love you. Best person I've ever known. I'll love you for the rest of my life."

2 hours for them to slow down enough to actually talk things through. What they mean to each other, what they want to be, and for how long they've wanted to be it.

1 month for Lan Wangji to buy a ring and ask Wei Wuxian to marry him.

And less than a second after that for Wei Wuxian to say yes.

♥️The end♥️

I loved writing this and I hope you all enjoyed it! I wrote it for @fae-hulijing‘s birthday a couple weeks ago and loved the thought of moving it on here! It may be one of my favorite fics I’ve written!

#wangxian #mo dao su zhi #mdzs #the untamed #fanfic #cocowrites #dragonji #foxxian #coffee shop au #bookstore au #friends to lovers

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