Prompt 20: "You need to wake up because I can't do this without you."

Ling wakes up Lan Fan to pull a prank on Fu because Ling is a scheming little prankster


"Lan Fan…oh Lan Fan…wake up!"

Lan Fan let out a groan, her hand batting away the annoying poking finger.

"Oh come on, Lan Fan! You need to wake up!"

"Why?" she groaned out, trying to burrow herself deeper into the pillow.

"Because I can do this without you."

Lan Fan finally opened her eyes to see Ling's big grin looming over her. "What is it, my lord?"

Ling smiled, his teeth twinkling pearly white, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "I need you to help me prank Fu."

Lan Fan raised an eyebrow. "Why would I help you prank Fu, my lord?"

Ling shrugged, his eyes looking upwards. "Because it's fun! Why else? Now come on!" he grabbed her arm, gently tugging her upright. "Let's go, let's go! Before he wakes up!"

Lan Fan sighed slightly, but allowed herself to be pulled out of bed by her young lord. As much as she might want to protest otherwise, there was something unspeakably flattering about how Ling always tried to include her in his games. Of course, that made Lan Fan all the more self conscious. She blushed slightly. She wasn't supposed to feel like that towards her lord. After all, he was the first Prince of Xing, and she was a mere bodyguard. It was…untowards, she supposed.

And yet, here she was, willingly allowing the Prince to drag her out of bed and across their small camp ground, over to where the figure of her grandfather slept.

"Now," Ling stifled a giggle, pointing towards the bag of firecrackers and flash-bangs that Lan Fan kept by her side at all times. "Give me one of the really small ones."

"My Lord, I can't–it's improper!" Lan Fan whispered back harshly, only for Ling to turn towards her with a smile. Oh that smile. That stupid, silly, damnably handsome smile of his.

"Come on, Lan Fan, relax! It's just a silly little prank!" He pointed to her bag again. "Now come on, gimme a little firecracker!"

"But sir–" she halted when he opened his eyes fully, something he rarely did. His small, beady black pupils were poised like that of a sad puppy, and his lower lip quivered over dramatically.

"Please?" he asked again, his voice sounding like a small schoolboys.

Lan Fan bit her lip. She could feel her blush on her face, and she knew full well that Ling could probably see it. Why did he have to be so…so…cute? She felt her hand reach into her bag more or less on autopilot as she reached in and grabbed a small handful of the smallest flash-bangs she had. She handed them over to Ling, who nodded happily.

"Great! Now, be very quiet!" He giggled, grabbing one of the small flash-bangs and giving it a toss in the direction of Fu's sleeping form.

The flash-bang landed with a loud crack and a bright flash, and, just as Ling wanted, Fu bolted up right, unleashing a flurry of surprised shouts and curses. Despite herself, Lan Fan found herself laughing alongside Ling, as Fu finally realized what had happened.