HAPPY POCKY DAY!!!

[anonmeme]

THE POCKY GAME MEME

It's that time again!! For supernatural reasons that mere mortals could not comprehend, you and someone else are compelled to play this strange game of chicken, where there can only be one victor. You can be trapped, or just doing it as a friendly yet weird gesture! So don't be shy, this might even be the day you get your first kiss, you loser!

RULES: Post with your character and their name/canon on the subject, mention if the thread is open for all or closed to someone in particular, and if you have any preferences as needed-- but most importantly: have fun!

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[afterthemoment]

"Well, if that's all you do everyday... Of course, it's going to get boring, Lan Zhan!"

He's such an old fuddy-duddy. Maybe Wei Ying should introduce him to that game now, after all.

"So how about we play this game Huaisang told me about to liven things up a little?"

He pulls out another pocky stick with a little bit of a flourish and points it right at Lan Zhan.

"It'll make your day less ordinary!"

[inquiryguqin]

"Mn. But everyone must be diligent in their studies." He said, however inwardly he actually agrees with him.

"...what? A game." His eyes following him with curiosity. "Ridiculous." A game involving pocky indeed.

"How to play...?"

[afterthemoment]

"It's easy," Wei Ying says casually as if this isn't his first time playing the game himself. "I bite one end of the stick and you bite the other. We each take turns biting little pieces off until we reach the middle. First one to turn away loses!"

He leans his cheek in his hand, smirking a little. Lan Zhan might be a formidable opponent but with face as thick as Wei Ying's, there's no way he can lose!

"Doesn't it sound fun? Want to play?"

[inquiryguqin]

Lan Zhan eyes him with suspicion. "...extremely ridiculous." But he won't back down from a challenge. The idea is an influence from one of his friends, no doubt.

And yet his heart begins to race at the thought. Basing on Wei Ying's instructions they'll be very close.

"You lose." He said as if the battle is already determined and decided in his favor.

Taking one a chocolate pocky stick out, Lan Zhan placed it between his lips. His golden eyes are fixed like a tiger.

"..." No way he'll lose to him!

[afterthemoment]

Wei Ying blinks a couple of times, somewhat surprised, but it quickly gives way to delight. Lan Zhan wants to play with him! It's exciting! So without hesitation, he attaches his mouth to the other end, holding his friend's gaze with a look of cocky amusement, waggling his eyebrows a little.

Battle start!

Wei Ying nips off a tiny bit from his end of the stick. Your move, Lan Zhan!

[inquiryguqin]

Lan Zhan's eyes remains fixed on him. His breathing is calm and even. His expression is passive, almost unreadable, and remains largely unimpressed and wordless. "..."

Lan Zhan's remains unmoved and still. Each tiny bit of a nibble on the biscuit as Wei Ying comes closer and closer...perhaps too close as he could feel the warmth radiating off him.

"...Hmph." At the last minute, despite what he said, Lan Zhan couldn't bear it. His hand on his lap clutch the fabric of his robe, tensed and nervous, as his heart skipped a beat. Conflict feelings begin to stir.

Sudden and swiftly, like a sudden jerk, he turned his head away, breaking the biscuit before Wei Ying reached him. He just can't and decides to loose on purpose, an unconditional surrender.

[afterthemoment]

As their lips draw just a fraction closer with each consecutive round, Wei Ying's feelings of anticipation grow like a crescendo gradually building up in his chest. Lan Zhan really is handsome like they say, he thinks, admiring just pretty his eyes and how delicate the lashes surrounding them are. His lips look so soft, too; if things keep going as they are, soon Wei Ying will be able to verify it for himself. If he hadn't been so determined to keep his mouth on the stick and not screw this up, he might've been wetting his lips in preparation, as it chaotic butterflies are alight in his stomach.

But just when their lips are about to meet, Lan Zhan throws the game completely, leaving a stunned and slightly disoriented Wei Ying to stare at him. It takes him a second to recover enough to finish eating that final bit of pocky. He won, right? Lan Zhan quit the game so that means he won by default, right?

But then why does Wei Ying feel like he lost?

After a brief, uncharacteristic moment of silence, he forces a grin and takes out another stick, speaking in that piping, cheerfully oblivious tone of his.

"Good game, Lan Zhan! I should've realized you'd be a tough opponent after all the duels we've had. But it was fun though, right? Maybe we should do another round. Best of three? What do you say?"

[inquiryguqin]

In response, the conflict within Lan Zhan's consciousness becomes clear as he has long realized what is the objective of the game. That he wondered what Wei Ying's intentions are. As much he felt the temptation to try again, righteousness and doing the right thing will prevail.

At first, there is a flash of defeat, but then regaining his composure and calm, he managed to look straight-pointedly at him.

"Wei Ying, you...you should save your first kiss to someone who you're destined to be with and wanted to spend your life with." He said, with every intention to throw Wei Ying off his silly game.

[afterthemoment]

"First kiss? Destiny? What are you talking about, Lan Zhan? It's just a game that Huaisang told me about. That's all."

Though now he's wondering a little bit about just why Huaisang would tell him about it in the first place. From the way he'd talked about it, he'd made it seem like he might want to play it with Wei Ying himself. Weird. That's about as much thought as he gives to Nie Huaisang and whatever ulterior motives he might have for the moment. Wei Ying's more focused on on the youth before him.

"But first kisses are important. You're right about that. I guess I shouldn't just gamble mine away like that. Save it for someone really special who likes me like that. Surely, there's a beautiful maiden out there that wants a kiss from me."

[inquiryguqin]

Lan Zhan begins to scowl when Wei Ying begins his foolish talk about kissing a maiden when Wei Ying intended to kiss him or Lan Zhan thinks he wanted to kiss him. "Your first kiss isn't a game."

At the mention of Huaisang, Lan Zhan pretends to dust off imaginary dust off his long sleeves and then straightens up his robe. Henceforth, the romance dies before the last pocky biscuit crumbles.

Very cooly, "Then save your first kiss for a maiden." He said, pretending to be nonchalant. Slowly Lan Zhan rose to his feet, with every intention to leave, the scowl fixed on his face as if he drank a jar of bitter vinegar. "Extremely ridiculous."

[afterthemoment]

"Lan Zhan, wait. Did I say something wrong? Are you mad? What's all of this about?"

Wei Ying gets up from where he's sitting, too, with an almost comical expression of confusion on his face. It probably doesn't help that he's unconsciously using the same cautious, appeasing tone he's overheard his Uncle Jiang use with Madam Yu during one of her foul-tempered moods.

"I was just telling you that first kisses aren't a game. And I'm saving mine for somone special. But the game with the pocky! That is a game. Who said I was kissing any maidens anyway? I haven't kissed anyone!"

Wait, why is he trying to prove his fidelity to Lan Zhan of all people...

[inquiryguqin]

His expression remains impassive as ever, but seeing Wei Ying trying to defend his case rather comically, he can't help but soften with mercy.

"...Wei Ying. I am not mad."

He paused, considering once more. Wei Ying hasn't kissed anyone yet? And he's saving his first kiss for someone special. Lan Zhan finds that so lame and pathetic (...and considering he isn't a maiden at all). "Don't be ridiculous." And yet, hearing Wei Ying's defense, he changed his mind and decide to try one more round.

Taking a biscuit. "Again. Let's try again." Placing between his lips, with the other end free for Wei Ying to take on cue.

[afterthemoment]

Oh, so they're playing again? Great! Despite all of his talk about first kisses not being a game, Wei Ying doesn't hesitate to take the other end of the stick, resting his chin in his hands and smiling a bit.

Once more, he starts nipping in turn at his end of the stick until the round starts to close. And once again, his chest feels tight with anticipation and nervous butterflies. But Wei Ying's not going to back down this round either.

But will Lan Zhan surrender again or finish the game to completion this time?

[inquiryguqin]

Lan Zhan misunderstood, thinking that perhaps Wei Ying really wanted to play this game because he wants to kiss him. Having high expectations, he was hoping Wei Ying mark his words with his actions.

Nibbling at the other end of the stick until they come to the middle part. It was then that it becomes a stagnant draw. Lan Zhan froze in place, not moving an inch, but not breaking away either. He scowls because there's only one way to end the game. A decisive victory must be made and Lan Zhan hates to lose on his honor.

Holding the biscuit in place with his lips, while scowling at him. Golden eyes proud and fierce as he can see himself reflected in Wei Ying's eyes up-close. "Ridiculous...I am...not a maiden."

At that, he tilted his head aside, claiming the last bit of the biscuit, and quickly pressed his lips against his, giving him a quick kiss to claim his victory.

[afterthemoment]

Lan Zhan went through with it? For real?

For a moment, Wei Ying's too shocked to respond, staring wide-eyed at his classmate. There's a bright pink blush staining his cheeks now and he just sits there, blinking in surprise. Lan Zhan had kissed him? Lan Zhan had actually kissed him!

He looks far from upset or angry about it though; if anything, there's actually a sort of doofy, wondering smile playing across his lips. Wei Ying's gaze is warm and soft with admiration and something else. A happy feeling that he just doesn't have enough knowledge or experience to be able to able to name.

But he knows enough to know that he wants to experience it again already so Wei Ying's already got another pocky stick out.

"Best of three. One more match. Winner take all."

[inquiryguqin]

Lan Zhan tolerated it. When their lips met, the kiss lingered longer than Lan Zhan expected. It's not unpleasant, Lan Zhan has found. He felt a warm tingle of pleasure. His lips is warm, and in that moment, he likes it.

Only to realize that like can last an instant when he realized he's kissing Wei Wuxian. Instead of happy feelings, the exact opposite happened. Lan Zhan felt more confused at the strange feelings of emotions. And he's the one who initiated it.

Even though Lan Zhan looks calm on the outside. Inside chaotic emotions begin to stir that sparked by the kiss. Inwardly, the highly esteemed Hanguang-Jun is panicking having realized in an instant the error of what he committed. His ideal image of himself of perfection shattered over the mistake he committed.

Gold eyes narrowed as he felt his inner state of calm begin to turn into a storm, scowling as if a black cloud suddenly appeared over his head.

"No. We're done. I made a mistake. I shouldn't have done that to you." Swiftly, he rose to his feet, and he's on his way out to flee toward the door to spare his own shame.

Coldly, "Wei Ying. Please, forget what happened. This game is ridiculous."

[afterthemoment]

And just like that, the good feeling is gone.

Wei Ying flinches as if he'd been physically slapped, eyes swiftly and unexpectedly tearing up as he hastily looks away from Lan Zhan, hurriedly blinking them away. Before he does so, there's a flash of genuine hurt in his expression. Was kissing him really that awful? Sure, Wei Ying had been too surprised to kiss back but he'd planned to return the favor this next round.

But Lan Zhan's running away, calling what they just did a mistake. And it's hard not to feel, judging from his classmate's vehemently negative response, that maybe Lan Zhan thinks maybe he's a mistake, too.

Wei Ying just sits there, uncharacteristically quiet and staring off into space, until he twists around suddenly to stare daggers into Lan Zhan's retreating back. Just before Lan Zhan's about to escape, he speaks in a rather cold, defensive tone himself.

"First kisses aren't a game, Lan Zhan."

You bet, he's throwing his classmate's own words back in his face right now. This wasn't at all how he wanted his first kiss with Lan Zhan to go!

...Wait. What?

[inquiryguqin]

Lan Zhan was already at the door, sliding it open. The rush of cold gusts of the outside breeze through, his long hair swayed with the wind.

At his words, he paused and halted. Then slowly look back to see the genuine hurt he caused and him glaring daggers. Lan Zhan's face darken as his sense of doing the right thing is the issue that is causing him pain.

"..." He's about to say something, but nothing. As if he felt tugged toward to him, wanting Wei Ying to be right.

"..." Without say anything, he took his leave. Wordless. As he wanted nothing more but to brood and meditate in a self-punishing manner, to self-reflect what he just done.