#i'm going to need to come up with a name for all these post-jtls ficlets

[antiquecompass]

A quick Long and Happy Life ‘verse ficlet for Jiang Cheng’s birthday, bc sometimes you just got to be that basic. This falls about two years after Just Two Lost Souls, so tech there are spoilers, but...not really bc everyone knows how part of that story ends.

“Remember, remember the fifth of Novem—”

“Finish that rhyme and I will drive over to that house of yours and kick your ass before you’ve even had a chance to brush your teeth,” Jiang Cheng said to his brother. “Also, good morning.”

“Happy Birthday, you old bag of bones,” Wei Ying said. 

“Still younger than you,” Jiang Cheng said. 

“Well, at least I’m not fucking the Cryptkeeper,” Wei Ying teased.

“Rude!” Jiang Cheng yelled into his phone, hoping his brother’s ears were ringing. “Rude and uncalled for.”

“Should’ve let me finish my rhyme,” Wei Ying said. 

Jiang Cheng grumbled at him.

“You’re coming home today, right?”

<i>Home</i>. That was a hell of a concept for him now. Home was technically his condo here in Boston, but home had really become Xichen’s house up in the Berkshires. All the pets were up there full-time now, not wanting to keep disrupting their lives by carting them back and forth. His condo was pretty cold and lonely these days, but he was still working on setting up a proper satellite office in Western Massachusetts. When he stayed for long stretches in the Berkshires these days, it required lots of video-conferencing and rearranging of schedules.

He was trying to feel less guilty about not being as hands-on as when he took the reins of the company, but as Qingyang pointed out, repeatedly, he’d worked so hard then so he could enjoy his time now. 

And he hadn’t taken any significant time off since July. 

“I’m booked with meetings until the afternoon, but I should be there in time for dinner,” he said.

Wei Ying made a dissatisfied sound. His brother and nephew had gone up to the Berkshires for a long weekend, and while Yuan--Sizhui now--was shadowing Jingyi in classes, Wei Ying was by himself. And bored.

“Then I won’t get to see you until tomorrow because Xichen’s got dibs now.”

“He does, indeed, have dibs,” Jiang Cheng agreed. “I’ll be over there tomorrow morning, so you don’t have to wander your estate, wailing about your abandonment, as your husband and child go off to school.”

“I’m getting pretty good at the ghost sounds,” Wei Ying said. 

“You have too much time on your hands for someone who is supposed to be finishing the draft of his book.”

“Rude!” Wei Ying yelled. “Rude and uncalled for!”

**********

He came back from his lunch meeting to find his desk covered in no less than three gift baskets, a bouquet, a cake, and his heavily pregnant sister trying to fit a crock pot between it all.

“Yanli, what the hell?” he asked, hurrying over to her. “You’re supposed to be on bedrest.”

“I wanted to see you on your birthday,” she said as Jiang Cheng carefully guided her over to a chair. “Honestly, you and Zixuan both. You act like I’ve never been pregnant before.”

“You’re carrying twins,” Jiang Cheng said. “And you have doctor’s orders.”

“I’m fine,” Yanli said. “Now come here so I can hug you.”

He did as she ordered, reveling in his sister’s warm touch.

“Is that a muffin basket?” she asked.

“Probably.”

“And flowers in the shape of a white dog?”

“That’s from Xichen.”

“Zixuan made the cake.”

“Please tell you didn’t bring up the cake, go back down, and then bring up the crock pot.”

“Of course not,” Yanli said. “Zixuan and Ling brought the cake and were supposed to come back for the crock pot, but got distracted by the fish tank in the lobby.”

“Which means your husband got back to the car to find you missing?” He pulled back from the hug to look at Yanli’s confused face. “Or did you text him first?”

“I don’t remember,” Yanli admitted.

Pregnancy brain. It had hit Yanli bad this go round.

Qingyang ran into the office then. “Sir! Your sister is….right there. Sitting right there. Perfectly fine.” She pulled out her phone. “Call back security. We found her. She’s okay. Please calm Mr. Jin down.”

“Honestly,” Yanli said, trying to stand up. “Like someone would kidnap me and a crock pot.”

“Wei Ying would,” Jiang Cheng said.

Yanli laughed. “He would, wouldn’t he?”

**********

After a last-minute late lunch featuring his very pregnant sister, his hyperventilating brother-in-law, his pouting nephew who just want to go look at the fish again, and both of his parents, Jiang Cheng had never been more relieved to pull into Xichen’s driveway. 

Of course as soon as he got his laptop out of the backseat, he was faced with one Lan Qiren.

“I understand it is your birthday,” he said.

Jiang Cheng nodded. “Funny thing how they happen every year.”

Lan Qiren did not look amused. 

“Is there something I can help you with, sir?” he asked.

“There is,” Lan Qiren said. He pointed to the windows facing Lan Qiren’s home. “Those cats of yours. They keep staring. Control it.”

“Sir, you don’t control cats so much as hope to contain them,” Jiang Cheng said. “That spot gets the best sun; they’re going to gravitate towards it.”

“Well, direct them somewhere else. They keep staring.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” he said as he headed towards the front door.

He planned on doing not a single damn thing. 

Inside Sugar was waiting for him. She let him slide his shoes off and put his coat up, but then it was barks and nudges and time for her treat.

“You were never this spoiled back at the condo,” he said, heading towards the kitchen and the jars filled with all kinds of pet treats. 

Xichen might still have a general aversion to grocery stores, but let that man in a pet store and he’d buy out half their inventory. 

Honestly, Sugar did not need organic handmade dog biscuits, but try telling that to Lan Xichen.

Sugar taken care of, he went over to Pepper and Nutmeg stretched out on their new bed, perfectly placed on their favorite window seat. He was surprised Pepper wasn’t attached to Xichen like she normally was when he was home, but apparently she’d opted for a longer nap. Both cats made their little pleased sounds as he scratched their ears. Nutmeg even opened her eyes for a second before stretching back out in warm, lazy cat bliss. He kissed the top of both of their heads and then headed upstairs to find his elusive boyfriend.

“Xichen?” he called. 

He wasn’t in his studio. Or the music room. Or their home gym.

“Babe?” he called, stepping into their empty bedroom. 

“In here!” Xichen’s muffled voice came from the bathroom.

“You okay?” Jiang Cheng asked as he opened the door.

And immediately stopped.

There was a runt of a kitten in Xichen’s hands. A tiny, loud, angry, scraggly brown thing, who was swatting at Xichen’s hair.

Jiang Cheng instantly fell in love.

“Give me,” he said.

“Gladly,” Xichen handed the kitten over. “She’s a biter.”

“Well, of course she is when you hold her like that,” Jiang Cheng said as he carefully cradled the kitten to his chest and slid down next to the tub.

She was obviously a found kitten, too thin for anything from a breeder or from recovering in the pound. 

“Where did you find her?” he asked.

“So that 4H field trip I supervised to the Nie farm yesterday,” Xichen said. “I came back with more than just mud on my shoes.”

“I can see that.”

Xichen slid down to join him. “I’m still not convinced Mingjue didn’t find this thing a few days before and purposefully ‘discovered’ it when I was surrounded by a bunch of animal-loving children.” He kissed Jiang Cheng’s cheek. “She likes the sink, so I’m sad to say, your side has now been claimed.”

“Then I guess we’ll just have to share yours,” he said.

“Dr. Rose checked her out. Still waiting on some test results, but other than being underweight, she doesn’t even have worms.”

“That’s a miracle,” Jiang Cheng said.

“I was thinking she’s a Cinnamon. I hoping she’s one. I had one of those little tags made at the pet store.”

This man. This too caring, too generous, absolutely got roped into adopting a stray kitten, man. He was amazing. And he was all Jiang Cheng’s.

“I love you,” he said. 

Xichen’s face softened, the way it always did when Jiang Cheng told him that. “I love you too,” he said. He rested his head on Jiang Cheng’s shoulder and looked down at the quiet, purring kitten. “Taking care of a kitten was not in my plans for your birthday. But she’s certainly taken over the bathroom, so the long, luxurious soak I planned for both of us is out.”

“I’ll take comfy pajamas and delivery pizza,” Jiang Cheng admitted. “It’s been a bit of a day.”

“I can do that,” Xichen said. He nuzzled Jiang Cheng’s neck. “Whatever you want.”