Nana's Untamed Flash Fiction Oneshots

Seek and Find Part 7

Friendship was a slow unveiling, for them both, a simpler way to ease into discovery. The first evening they had spent together was illuminating. Lan Zhan had softly made the first foray, non-threatening, but a foray nonetheless. Wei Ying, not naive and not timid, decided to drop pretense. His response was quick and a bit ruthless. He was in no mood for mind games after Mark.  Lan Zhan's remorse came quickly, and had been hugely out of proportion, to the incident, continuing to affect him for the rest of the evening. He was occasionally startled by the rapid blinking of those crystal eyes, as Lan Zhan fought back tears. Wei Ying was deeply regretful. As result ,Wei Ying surprised himself with his acceptance of Lan Zhan's awkward approach toward friendship; anything to wipe that look of shame off that beautiful face. 

They started with an occasional meal together, and casual conversations instead of the intensity of the initial icebreaker. Reserves were like ice flows that needed a gradual warming and Lan Zhan knew from previous lifetimes that if he put too much insistence on pushing memories to the surface, Wei Ying could dash for the nearest bolt-hole and any progress would be lost. Then the whole process would need to start again. As long as he was patient, and Wei Ying was always within easy distance to him, he could bear the wait.

As they discussed everyday matters such as common bills for the building, Lan Zhan discovered   Wei Ying had insisted on a separate meter before he had signed his lease.

"I keep weird hours. And I leave the lights on all night. I dread surprises that can come in the dark. And the heater...I need it warm. I hate the cold." 

They discovered several common interests. Both had taken fencing lessons when in high school and college. Both were obsessed with Sumo Wrestling and International Film, so streaming was a must-have. 

ei Ying had asked Lan Zhan to keep his keys. It was his way of apologizing, after he had stood his ground and tossed the gauntlet at Lan Zhan. He had forced the first emotional unveiling and felt badly in the aftermath. 

"Please. I really would like you to hang on to them. In case of emergency." Surprised and touched, Lan Zhan handed him a copy of his own.

Days turned into weeks. Weeks, into several months. The need to touch base every day was growing for Wei Ying. That need had always been there with Lan Zhan. Even the walk down the hall to Wei's, though, was becoming annoying. One night as they sat on the couch, popcorn in between them, Wei asked, 

" Have you ever thought that we could double our customer traffic very easily?"

"I have not. What do you have in mind?"

"We could do a gallery together. What do you think? "

"Mn... find a gallery to set up together?

"Yeah, but why bother to look? If we have Huiasang replace the wall in between with a movable wall system so we can still ..."

"..have easy access to the gallery.  Wei, that is a brilliant idea! We could stretch the jungle all the way across ..."

"Intersperse my paintings and your portraits on easels through the foliage, clustered under all twelve of the hanging industrial pendant lights. And let the bunnies run free now that they are litter trained..."

"Offer patrons wine, or saki or soju, as they pet the bunnies in my living area, and use your space as the sales office."

"Why mine as the office?"

"Mine has the 98-inch 8K TV. screen!"

"Makes sense. But I still think you just like saying that out loud, don't you? 98-inch 8K? Hunh? Hunh?" Wei poked an elbow in Lan Zhan's ribs. "Admit it. Lan Zhan likes his new toy."

Lan Zhan whirled around, and the chase was on. He cornered him and began to wrestle him to the ground, tickling him until Wei Ying was gasping for air.

Lan Zhan growled. "Yes, he does! He likes his little toy. And he likes the idea of being housemates as well. Let's call brother and he will start arrangements."

As they began the changes throughout the lofts, Wei Ying was becoming somewhat confused. He knew that his feelings had died that day at Third Haven. They had been effectively murdered by the person he had entrusted them to. He still felt the bruising that they had been subjected to. Now he was starting to fully realize that his housemate was somewhat...what?

Show-stoppingly beautiful?

Bighearted beyond belief?

Generous to a fault?

Brave, intelligent, respectful, scary sexy?

Wei Ying was getting tired of cold showers. They were housemates, friends! Ying, do not think with the little head. Don't, for fuck's sake, fuck up a great friendship! 'These months had made him feel safe and secure for the first time in a long time. He laughed because Lan Zhan had a terrifically dry sense of humor, not because he felt he had to respond to something actually dull and boring. And knowing that Lan Zhan was always a shout away if some real-life boogeyman should climb out of his closet one night, gave him a sense of safety and peace. 

He had to get his libido under control before it hit 100 on the raging scale.

Should he, DARE he trust himself again? He had been a shit judge of character with the last two; the only saving grace had been he had never given either his virginity. At least something had kept him from crossing that line. But he could see it happening so easily with Lan Zhan...hence the cold showers. 

He plopped down in front of the jungle and was suddenly covered in bunnies. They numbered 5 now. 

Another white one, that had brown eyes, named Zewu-Jun, another black one with black eyes named Sang, and a spotted one with strange, pale eyes called Wen Ning. All were brought home and named by Lan Zhan. He had walked into a Bunny Rescue to make a donation and ask some questions, and they saw him coming, with SUCKER tattooed on his forehead.  Each time he visited, he had a new 'foster" with him. 'Foster,' yeah right.

All the more reason to calm himself down. Was he just a foster too? Or could the impossible happen one day, and could he be something more to a man who was edging toward being his everything?