Work Text:
The club was loud enough to rattle bones.
Bass vibrating through the walls, neon lights cutting through fog, perfume mixing with sweat and alcohol- a whole sensory assault.
"Guo Chengyu, did you hear me?" he said loudly as he trailed behind Chengyu, who was cutting through the club crowd like he owned the place. "Jiang Xiaoshuai is in danger now!"
Chengyu didn't even turn around.
At the entrance, a boy was leaning against the wall reaches out to Chengyu. Chengyu only brushed the boy's waist with a casual smile for a fleeting moment and kept walking. The boy instantly melted into a puddle.
"Chi Cheng can't get me," he continued, "so he's going after Xiaoshuai."
But the moment they crossed deeper into the club, His senses were immediately assaulted- A loud blast of music. Flashing, blinding neon lights that made him squint. Humid air made thicker by perfume, sweat, and alcohol- a scent cocktail that hit him right in the face that made him scrunched his nose.
It was chaos.
Chengyu slide a cigarette between his lips.
"Got it," he replied lazily, eyes drifting toward a nearby group dancing and laughing too loud as he exhaled the smoke.
That was it.
No urgency.
No concern.
Suowei clicked his tongue and slipped around him to block his view.
"Why aren't you anxious?"
Chengyu only took another drag, the smoke curling languidly between them.
A boy passed by and Chengyu reaches out, touching the boy's cheek in greeting and the boy flirtatiously ran a hand down Chengyu's chest as they continued to keep walking.
He didn't know where they were walking to, but he followed anyway.
"Then why Didn't you accept Chi Cheng?" Chwngyu said casually. Suowei's eyebrow twitched.
They stopped in the middle of the club, lights strobing behind them drowned in cheers, laughter, and the pounding beat.
Chengyu leaned in, their faces suddenly only inches apart. Smoke warm between them, mixed with that warm, dizzying scent of his cologne.
"Is it that your approach is not working," Chengyu murmured, lips brushing close, "or are you just… not completely gay?"
Suowei froze. Was he? A small frown creased in his face. He didn't know what this feeling is sepposed to be. He hated not knowing, the uncertainty twisted uncomfortably in his chest.
He'd always believe that he was straight, but now? Now averything felt like upside down. It was anoyying, confusing, ridiculous. He genuinely didn't know anymore.
Confused, he looked up towards Chengyu- only to realize he was already gone.
He panicked.
He spun around until he spotted Chengyu reclining lazily on a sofa near the counter.
Of course.
Suowei hurried over and flopped beside him.
"I don't want to talk about this right now," he muttered. He's here to help his shifu. Thats the priority. Anything else… he can deal with later.
Chengyu huffed, blowing smoke toward the ceiling. The smoke drifted from his lips as he leaned back, one arm thrown casually across the back of the sofa.
He continued "Many boys can't pass this hurdle at first, either." he said, tone too knowing.
Suowei swallowed.
Then he looked Suowei in the eye. "Don't worry."
It didn't sound reassuring at all.
"After sleeping with Chi Cheng," he added casually, "those boys were all radiant."
Suowei's eyes dropped, something in his chest tightened.
"Those boys…?" he whispered. "How many men has Chi Cheng slept with?"
Chengyu's lips curved slowly as they made eye contact.
Suowei bit the inside of his cheek, trying to swallow the simmering irritation.
Chengyu leaned forward, reaching for a glass on the table, he swirls the alcohol before lifting his eyes.
"Are you glad to be one of them…" he asked, voice low, meeting his eyes. "…or angry to be just one of them?"
He pressed the glass to his lips.
Suowei clenched his jaw- then he snatched the glass from Chengyu and downed the entire thing in one go.
Chengyu laughed quietly, amused.
Suowei slammed the glass down with a dull clack and breathed out slowly.
"Are you going to help me or not?"
"How?" Chengyu drawled, exhaling the smoke.
"Ofcourse protect Xiaoshuai and not let Chi Cheng touch him. Obviously."
"Alright," Chengyu hummed, leaning back, "then I'll just pursue another boy"
That was absolutely not what Suowei expected. He stared down at his hands.
"If I don't pursue Jiang Xiaoshuai, then he'll be safe."
If it protected his shifu?
Fine.
He'd do anything.
"That makes sense,"
Chengyu stared at him a beat too long, before glancing away, gently puffing out the smoke.
Silence settled between the two of them.
Suowei, mildly irritated- stayed a little longer in his seat. He reached for the drink on the table and took a small sip.
The club pulsed around them- bass thrumming through the floor, lights slicing across the crowd in electric sweeps. But for one suspended moment, the world narrowed to just the two of them sitting on that sofa. Wu Suowei, confused and Guo Chengyu, unreadable under the flickering neon lights.
Chengyu opened his mouth to say something, probably shooing him off, until-
A woman approached them.
The woman approaching toward them had the sultry grace of someone born into wealth. Her crimson satin dress shimmered under the llight. She wore vintage jewelry and dark lipstick.
Then she leaned in unexpectedly, stepping right into their space.
Neither of them noticed that, eyes from every corner of the room had been drifting toward them as they talked- whispers, glances, the kind of attention that followed Chengyu everywhere. And was now spilling over to Suowei too.
Both Suowei and Chengyu turned toward her. And before she could even part her lips, Chengyu's voice cut through the music.
"not interested. "
The woman blinked at him, taken aback for half a second before her expression sharpened into a sneer.
"Not you," she said flatly.
Both men blinked.
She turned -surprisingly- towards Suowei.
His shoulders stiffened. "M–me?" he stammered, pointing at himself in bewilderment.
She smiled slowly. "Yes, you," she purred. "You're pretty cute. I like cute boys."
Suowei's mouth opened, then closed again. His ears felt hot.
She stepped closer, heels clicking softly against the floor despite the pounding bass.
One elegant hand reached out, brushing lightly over his forearm, her touch feather-soft but confident. "You have this… innocent look," she added, eyes sweeping over him with obvious interest. "It's very charming."
Suowei froze like a startled deer. "Uh- I- I'm not- I mean-”
She laughed, amused by his fluster. "Relax," she said, voice lowering as she leaned in, lips near his ear. "I don't bite. Not unless you ask."
Chengyu raised a brow, smoke curling lazily from his lips as he watched the scene unfold with clear amusement- and maybe the slightest hint of annoyance.
The woman straightened, looking Suowei over again like she might buy him at an auction. "So… how about a drink? Or," her smile deepened, "something a little more interesting?"
Suowei's face flushed crimson at the implication. His brain scrambled for words, any words, and unfortunately grabbed the very worst ones.
"I- I'm gay!" he blurted.
Oh, fuck.
What the hell did he just say!? His mind immediately screamed at him. Why did he say that? Why did his mouth betray him like this?
The woman blinked.
Then her smile returned- slow, sharp, amused. "Gay?" she echoed, tilting her head as if evaluating a new puzzle. "Mm… somehow that makes you even cuter."
His eyes widened in horror.
Before Suowei could even recover from the woman's bold flirting, a voice cut in sharply from behind her.
"He said he's gay. Move."
The woman turned, offended, ready to snap back- only to freeze when a handsome man stepped towards them.
He is clearly the same one who had been eyeing Suowei earlier from across the club.
And now that he'd said he was gay, he was approaching with the slow, confident ease of a predator that had just spotted an opening.
"Oh, please," the woman scoffed, folding her arms. "I saw him first-"
"Not anymore," the man said smoothly, brushing past her without so much as a glance in her direction.
He moved straight to Suowei.
The man was tall handsome in a way that looked carved, deliberate. A sharp jawline, a striking profile, eyes dark and focused with an expression that said he already knew exactly the effect he was having. The kind of handsome that came with quiet arrogance.
He wore a charcoal-gray suit, the kind that fit so well it looked tailored specifically for him. The jacket hugged broad shoulders, the shirt beneath crisp and half-unbuttoned at the top, revealing a teasing line of collarbone glowing under the neon lights. His tie hung loose around his neck, like he’d pulled it off halfway through a long night and decided he looked better without it.
"Don't mind her," he murmured, voice low and smooth as he planted a hand on the back of the sofa behind Suowei, leaning in just enough to make escape difficult. "She doesn't… understand your type." He shoot the woman a dismissive glance.
The woman scoffed, offended. "My type? Excuse me- !"
But the man didn't acknowledge her.
His attention was entirely, unwaveringly, on Suowei.
The woman, realizing she was completely ignored, clicked her tongue and stormed off, muttering something about "hopeless gay clubs" and "wasted perfume."
"Cute," he muttered, the corner of his mouth lifting. "You're much cuter upclose."
Suowei blinked, His pulse jumped with a rush of uneasiness. But heat rushing to his face despite himself.
The man chuckled softly, leaning in a fraction more, just enough for Suowei to smell faint cologne- clean and expensive.
The man's smile widened, amused and utterly unashamed of how openly he was enjoying this. "See? That expression right there." His gaze lingered on Suowei's mouth, slow and deliberate. "That's the one that caught my eye earlier."
"I- I didn’t do anything," Suowei muttered weakly, his shoulders stiffening.
"You did plenty," the man said. "You behave like someone trying not to be noticed, which only makes people like me notice you faster."
He lifted his free hand- not touching, but hovering close, like he was debating brushing a stray strand of hair from Suowei's forehead.
He didn’t, but the intention alone sent a shiver down Suowei’s spine, he curled his fingers nerveously on his lap.
"And then," he continued, voice dropping lower, "you go and announce you're gay."
He grinned, slow and appreciative.
"Honestly? It felt like you were doing me a favor."
Suowei swallowed.
The man leaned even closer, his lips near Suowei's ear. At that, Suowei's breath cought.
"Tell me…" he whispered. "Are you always this adorable when you panic? Or am I just lucky to be the one causing it?"
Suowei let out a tiny, involuntary sound.
The man laughed quietly, pleased. "Mm. Definitely lucky."
He drew back just enough for their eyes to meet but Suowei's eyes keep darting anywhere except the man's face. They're still close, still caging him in- but giving Suowei space to breathe. Suowei tried to lean back, but the sofa offered nowhere to run.
"Do you have a name," the man asked smoothly, "or should I keep calling you 'cute' all night?"
Suowei shot his hands out, having anough and clearly uncomfortable. His palms landing on the man's firm chest as he pushed him back- well, tried to push him back. The man barely moved, only rocking a half-step as if indulging him.
"I–I'm not interested," Suowei blurted. "Sorry." His eyes skittered away, his breath catching in his throat. It was suffocating. The man's stare linger too long, sliding over him in away that made his skin crawl.
The man stared at him for one heartbeat.
Then his smile sharpened.
The man tilted his head,"Oh?" he murmured, eyes glinting with mischief. "So serious. Cute."
He leaned forward just enough for Suowei's hands -still pressed against his chest- to feel the subtle rise and fall of his breathing.
"Your so polite," he added, voice dropping to a warm, teasing purr. "You reject someone with your hands still on them? That's mixed signals, sweetheart."
Suowei jerked his hands away instantly.
The man laughed softly, clearly delighted.
Suowei's hands kept hovering, as if he wasn't sure whether to push again or run.
"I- I said I'm not interested," he repeated, voice much thinner, smaller this time.
The man didn't budge.
If anything, he only tilted his head, the smirk on his lips twisting into something sharper, less charming.
"Come on," he drawled, brushing a knuckle deliberately along Suowei's jaw- slow, practiced, invasive. "You're just shy. Or playing hard to get. I don't mind either." Suowei flinched backward, shoulders tightening.
The discomfort was obvious, impossible to miss. He tried to shift away, but the man simply followed.
His hand lifted again, reaching for Suowei's waist this time. "Relax, I'm doing you a favor-"
"No." Suowei slapped the hand away, breath quick and uncomfortable. "I'm serious. Stop." he then instinctively fold his arms over his stomach.
For a split second, the man's expression cracked- annoyance flaring beneath the polished exterior.
Then he leaned forward, invading Suowei's space again, voice dropping to a low, irritated hiss.
"Do you even know who I am? How dare a whore like you disrespect me? "
Suowei froze. The shift of tone made Suowei shrink back instinctively.
His stomach twisted.
"You've got some nerve. Guys don't reject me, ever. "
Suowei clenched around the edge of the sofa, his hands shaking a little.
That tiny motion -barely noticeable to anyone else- was enough.
Before Suowei could react, before that creeping panic could swell-
A lazy voice cut through music.
"Enough."
The man paused, surprise flashing across his face. Then both of them turned.
Chengyu was still on the sofa, cigarette dangling lazily between his fingers, posture relaxed with his legs crossed. But his eyes were now cold, dangerous.
Chengyu leaned forward slightly, elbow resting on his knee. "I'd normally sit back and enjoy the show," Chengyu drawled, He then lowered his cigarette, exhaling smoke with a soft huff.
"But he clearly said he's not interested." Chengyu flicked ash into the tray, gaze sharpening without breaking eye contact with him.
The man straightened, his jaw tightening in irritation.
"So," Chengyu add mildly "move." his tone wasn't loud- but it carried weight. The kind that made people listen.
The man scoffed, incredulous. "And who the fuck are you supposed to be? His boyfriend?"
Chengyu arched a brow, expression unchanging, "Yes." he said without hesitation, voice dripping with lazy menace.
The man blinked, taken aback for half a second- then scoffed, incredulous. "Thats bullshit. You? His boyfriend? "
He look toward Suowei. "Come on, cutie. If he really were your boyfriend, you wouldn't be sitting here looking like you want to escape." He reached out again- fingers brushing Suowei's wrist.
But Suowei jerked his hands back.
Chengyu's eyelids lowered a fraction.
"That's the second time he'd pulled away," Chengyu said. "You slow, or just stupid?"
The guy bristled. "Watch your mouth."
"No," Chengyu said. "You watch your hands."
Suowei swallowed hard, nerves buzzing under his skin. The tension was beginning to grate on him- too loud, too much. He just wanted it to stop.
He tugged lightly on Chengyu's sleeve behind him on the backrest. "…Chengyu," he muttered, voice barely above the beat of the club. "He- he is my boyfriend."
The man stared at him for one long, incredulous second- then laughed. A sharp, disbelieving bark of sound.
"Yeah, right." He leaned in again, eyes raking over Suowei like he was checking for signs of a lie. "I don't buy it. Prove it."
Chengyu's eyes cut toward him, irritation seeping in. He gave a short, humorless laugh. "you deaf?" he said coolly. "He literally said he was my boyfriend."
"I don't care," the man snapped, straightening to his full height as if that would intimidate them. "If you don't prove anything, I'm not leaving."
A muscle in Chengyu's jaw twitched.
He took a slow drag of his cigarette "Why," Chengyu exhaled, smoke slipping from his lips. "would I need to prove my relationship to you?"
The guy huffed out a laugh. "Yeah. Fake boyfriend. Big mouth. No action." The man continued. "If you can't kiss him- hug him- something- then you're lying. And Im staying right where I am."
Suowei tensed, shrinking back against the sofa. the guy sneered as he noticed.
"You're not fooling me. He's not with you.'
Chengyu finally turned his head toward Suowei, eyes flicking down, checking- silently asking. Suowei nodded without hesitation. Chengyu's fingers slid through Suowei's, squeezing his hand, warm and steady. Suowei felt his shoulders relax a bit.
But the man in the suit scoffed loud and disbelieving. "That's it?" he snapped. "Holding hands? You expect me to believe that proves anything? Such a pathetic attempt."
He gestured between them with an incredulous laugh. "Anyone can do that. That doesn't mean you're dating."
Suowei winced.
The guy was persistent- painfully persistent- too arrogant to back down, too proud to accept rejection. Even with with their fingers intertwined, the man still refused to believe it.
And Suowei could feel the tension in Chengyu's hand tightening, irritation rolling off him in waves.
Chengyu muttered under his breath, "This is why I don't talk to idiots."
But the man only smirked- as if he had won something.
The guy simply refused to back down and Chengyu refused to entertain him. And Suowei, stuck between them, felt his nerves shredding. The tension between the two men was coiling tighter and tighter- sharp, hot, suffocating.
Suowei couldn't take it anymore.
"S-stop," he blurted, his hands trembled a she pushed weakly at chengyu's chest with their laced hands. "Please. Just… stop."
Chengyu's eyes flicked toward him, irritation still simmering under the surface- but the moment he looked at Suowei, it softened. Just slightly.
He exhaled through his nose, then reached out and pulled Suowei closer by the waist, and tugged him securely against his side, closer until their thighs touched, until Suowei naturally leaned into his side. The moment their shoulders pressed together, Suowei exhaled- tension draining from him at last, the contact grounding him.
Of course, the guy hated that. The movement made the guy bristle. He glared at Chengyu's hand resting on Suowei's waist.
"Tch." He glared, jaw tight. "So you're just gonna hide behind him?"
Suowei stiffened beside Chengyu, and that- that was the moment Chengyu's patience snapped like a overstretched thread.
"Didn't you just say all we just need to do anything to prove our relationship?"
But instead of getting angry…
Chengyu smiled.
Slowly and dangerously.
The kind of smile that made people take one step back without knowing why.
He leaned forward, his chin resting on Suowei's shoulder as he looked up at the man through half-lidded eyes. And despite being pressed safely against his side, Suowei felt a shiver run through him.
"You really want proof that badly?" Chengyu asked, tone velvety and edged.
Chengyu hummed thoughtfully, the cigarette between his fingers glowing softly as he put it out into the tray.
Then he tilted his head toward Suowei, voice dropping low and far too calm. He wispered to him. "Suowei," he murmured, "you mind if we get a little… convincing?"
Suowei's heart stuttered. "What-?"
But Chengyu didn't wait for him to process.
He stood swiftly, every movement deliberate enough to make the man tense up instead.
"You've been yapping in my face for five minutes," Chengyu said, His tone sharpened just slightly, not angry… but the kind of controlled irritation that spelled danger.
"You think you get a say in our relationship? You think you can order me to perform for you?"
The man's smirk faltered- but he didn't back down. "I just don't believe you."
Chengyu let out a soft, disbelieving laugh.
"You don't have to believe me."
"I'm doing this for him," he said, jerking his chin toward Suowei, "not for you."
Then he turned, walked back to the sofa, and settled infront of Suowei, one hand sliding along the top edge of the backrest, caging him in without touching.
without warning he took Suowei's chin between his fingers, Suowei's eyes gone wide. "Wu Suowei," he murmured, "look at me."
Suowei's breath caught, his eyes lifting instinctively to make eye contact. Chengyu studied him with a slow, deliberate sweep of his gaze that made his breath hitched.
Chengyu's other hand came down from the backrest to rest lightly on Suowei's waist, the touch warm and grounding.
Suowei shuddered at the contact.
"C-Chengyu…" Suowei whispered, pulse jumping.
Chengyu brushed his thumb across the corner of Suowei's mouth gently. Without breaking eye contact with Suowei, Chengyu pressed his mouth to Suowei's neck. His hand lightly wraped around his throat.
Suowei jolted, breath stumbling oUt of him in a broken exhale.
Chengyu's lips brushed softly against the line of his neck, slow enough that Suowei felt every second of it. His warm breath ghosted over Suowei's skin, sending another shiver racing through him. His lips lingered there, mouth hovering a heartbeat longer than necessary. his hand tightening slightly on Suowei's waist.
He finally looked back at the man with a sly, taunting smirk."Still watching? Good. I want you to see exactly who he belongs to.”
The man’s was pale, he stood utterly motionless. stunned into silence.
"Wh- what-"
He the move up slowly, his lips stopping just beside Suowei's ear. Suowei's breath locked in his throat.
"Relax." Chengyu whispered, his breath warm against his skin. "Im just giving him the impression.”
Suowei froze, his eyes fluttered shut.
Suowei did not relax. At all.
He sat frozen, heartbeat thundering so loudly he could feel it in his ears. Heat rushed up his neck and over his cheeks in a overwhelming wave so sudden he wondered if he was going to burst into flames right there.
Then Chengyu finally pressed a real kiss- slow and warm, just beneath his ear. Chengyu trailed down the soft kisses to his collarbone.
Suowei's hands found its way to Chengyu's shirt, fingers clenching around it, pulse jumping.
His hands on his waist slid slightly under the hem of Suowei's shirt, tracing the warm skin there. Suowei felt a shiver run down his spine.
Chengyu’s smirk deepened.
"Still think I'm pretending?" Chengyu asked lazily, his face still burried against Suowei's neck. Chengyu ignored the fact that there was no answer and kept going.
The longer Chengyu was kissing his neck, the more the soft kisses became an open mouthed kiss.
He trailed another kiss- getting more bolder than the last, he parted his lips and gently sucked his adam apple. It was barely there, but the lingering warmth hot enough to melt every thought in Suowei's head.
Chengyu slipped his hand under the hem of his shirt and slid his hand up slowly against his spine, the warm touch sent sparks trough his body- guiding him closer until their chests brushed.
The movement was intimate enough that a startled sound escaped his throat before he could swallow it back down. Suowei, red to the ears, practically froze against the sofa as he resgistered the noise he'd just made.
Chengyu exhaled a soft laugh.
"Careful," he murmured, his face inches from Suowei's.
"Keep reacting like that, and he's going to think I’m doing something much more."
Suowei's cheeks burned. Chengyu lowered his head slightly, slowly, giving him time to pull away- and teasing Suowei with a ghost of a kiss to his ear, not quite touching, just enough to make Suowei tremble.
"Should i stop?" he murmured quietly. His warm breath hitting his skin. "You're shaking.
Suowei's heart slammed against his ribs.
"N-no, i mean- its- I just- i think this is a bad idea-"
Chengyu leaned back to search his face, a smirk decorated his face. He brushed his thumb across Suowei's lower lip. Making Suowei's eyes flutter.
"If you tell me to stop…" Chengyu leaned in until their noses almost brushed. "I will."
Chengyu's lips hovered dangerously close- close enough that his breath warmed Suowei's lips, close enough that Suowei instinctively leaned in, chasing the contact without realizing it.
The kiss wasn't rushed.
It was gentle. Soft. Almost painfully tender.
Suowei's mind blanked.
His breath caught.
His heart stuttered.
Chengyu's hand slid up to cradle the back of Suowei's neck, thumb brushing his skin with a tenderness that made his breath falter. Their lips touched with a sweet, deliberate softness- It was a kiss meant to settle nerves, to reassure most intimate way.
Suowei melted instantly,
And before he realized he was moving, his fingers already curling in Chengyu's shirt as he kissed him back reflexively, breath catching at the softness, at the warmth, at how careful Chengyu was being with him.
When Chengyu finally pulled away, Chengyu stared at him, eyes wide, lips parted in disbelief.
Suowei stared right back- terrified, stunned, completely overwhelmed. His face burned so hot he felt feverish. Neither of them moved. Neither breathed properly. They stayed close enough that Suowei could still feel Chengyu's breath on his lips.
It was silent- painfully, suffocatingly silent.
The man stood frozen, mouth hanging open.
Completely speechless.
Then his expression twisted- anger, embarrassment, disbelief mixing into something ugly.
He stumbled back once, ttwice
The man's jaw worked- then he spun around sharply, shoving people out of his way as he stormed into the crowd, disappearing with a furious snarl.
Suowei let out a shaky breath he didn’t even realize he'd been holding.
He swallowed, turned to Chengyu-
"I- i didn't mean to-"
"Its fine... " Chengyu murmured. He leaned back and sat beside Suowei, putting a small distance with that lazy, unreadable calm.
And Suowei- he could not help the strange, hollow ache at the loss of contact.
"I-... Im sorry. "
Chengyu huffed lightly, grabbing another cigarette and lighting it.
"You really attract troublesome ones."
He glanced back at him. "you okay? "
"Im... Fine. " suowei answered weakly.
They fell into silence.
Awkward. Heavy. Thick enough that Suowei wanted to sink into the sofa and ddisappea
The club lights flashed pink, blue, gold across Chengyu's face- mixing with the dizzying heat still blooming in Suowei’s chest. His lips still tingled. His heart still beat too fast.
Finally, after what felt like forever, Chengyu nodded toward the exit 'go back to tell your shifu that i don't like him anymore." He brought the cigarette to his lips. "tell him to rest assured."
Suowei pushed himself up, legs unsteady.
He took two steps toward the exit-
"Suowei."
He froze.
Chengyu didn't look at him, didn't turn, didn't lift his eyes.
"Be careful when you go out."
Suowei nodded quickly -maybe too quickly- without looking at him and hurried toward the exit, heart still pounding wildly, leaving the heat of the kiss and the suffocating awkwardness behind him.