Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Chapter 1

“Excuse me, I want chocolate powder AND cinnamon on my cappuccino!”

Yibo gave the demanding lady with the huge sunglasses and the fluffy dog peeking out of her purse an expressionless glance.

“Mn, okay.”

He reached for the cinnamon shaker and fixed her coffee. She blinked up at him. Yibo blinked back.

With a huff, she turned around and walked away, hips swaying comically and leaving a cloud of sugary sweet perfume behind that made an old gentleman cough somewhat fiercely.

Yibo sighed internally. Some people were ready to fight, no matter what he did. What did she expect him to do? Bow over and apologise for his terrible mistake? Burn some incense in her name? A quick check of the lady’s order showed him nothing of a special request and he snorted softly, shaking his head.

After working as a barista for over a year, he could tell by one glimpse what kind of customer he was dealing with. And this one belonged firmly into the category ‘naturally irritable, ready to complain and always in a hurry’.

Not the worst. But also, not very pleasant.

With practiced movements, Yibo prepared his coffee shots and scanned the next few orders in line, nodding to himself and reaching for the full cream milk bottle. He worked efficiently, so used to the process and losing himself in creating the perfect coffee, the orders on his screen diminishing quickly and many happy customers leaving the shop.

The constant buzz and chatter around him didn’t bother him at all. Yibo could shut it out. His boss, Li Qin, always told him how pleasant he was to work with, compared to Jackson, for example.

Yibo talked little and didn’t get side-tracked. His reserved face kept most clients from approaching him and chatting him up, leaving him free to concentrate on his job. A job he enjoyed and was very good at.

As soon as he finished the last order and called out the ‘skinny latte with caramel syrup’, he craned his neck to check the counter, wondering whether he would have a small break to fill up his lids and take-away cups.

Immediately, he flushed and tore his gaze away, looking down into his milk jar and hiding a small, giddy grin.

The tall, handsome gege had just walked in, looking a little scattered while waiting in line. Yibo snuck another quick, secret glance, taking him in. He was wearing those sexy thick-rimmed glasses today, a black coat and a white beanie, black bangs peeking out and brushing his eyebrows.

Yibo felt a familiar tingling sensation all over his skin, while his stomach did this funny lurching thing and his chest filled with nervous joy.

His fingers were a little clumsier when he continued working, reaching for the soy milk and the chai powder, stealing small glances of the gege standing in line with his hands in his coat pockets, patiently waiting his turn.

He almost sighed, but turned it into an awkward cough instead.

“A Tai Chi with soy milk!” Yibo called out, then blushed furiously and cleared his throat.

“A Chai Tea with soy,” he corrected himself in a small voice and handed the cup to a smirking young man, ears burning.

When he looked towards the front counter, the gege was ordering and Yibo let out a breath of relief. He probably didn’t hear his mishap.

His crush smiled politely, and Yibo’s legs suddenly turned into wet noodles. He was handsome, but when he smiled, he was stunning.

Yibo already knew what gege would order. The same thing he ordered every morning he came by–a large latte, no sugar.

When his crush was still fresh, he had listened to gege say once, ‘no sugar, I’m sweet enough’ and then followed up by letting out the cutest giggle Yibo had ever heard. If it had been anyone else, Yibo would have groaned and rolled his eyes, but the words uttered by the tall gege made him feel all gushy inside, and he almost stumbled over a milk carton while recalling the giggle.

Shaking his head, Yibo continued pouring lattes and cappuccinos, until gege’s order came up. Like always, he took his time, frothing the milk carefully and turning the texture silky and smooth. He finished pouring, drawing a little heart on top and hesitating. Should he… be brave today? The gege had a small pretty mole under his lip and Yibo was a little obsessed with it. He almost finished the latte with a little dot next to the heart, symbolizing gege’s beauty spot but got cold feet and didn’t.

Gege was not waiting opposite the counter like other customers, but standing to the side, admiring the pastry cabinet. Usually, Yibo was happy when clients kept their distance and didn’t stare at him while he was doing his job, but in this case, he wouldn’t mind the attention. Really, gege could come right past the counter and step into his comfort zone.

Yibo made sure the heart was neatly facing the other man when he called out the coffee, for once annoyed that they didn’t ask for customer names to call out but used the coffee names instead.

It was especially frustrating when someone ordered a ‘medium extra hot three-quarter strength decaf mocha with two and a half sugar’ but even more so, because he would know gege’s name by now.

When gege stepped towards the counter, Yibo’s heart was racing.

“Thanks!” gege said and picked up his coffee, smiling quickly at Yibo and oh, the fleeting eye-contact and casual smile were doing things to him, making the hair at the back of his neck stand up and his mouth go dry.

Yibo nodded back and averted his gaze, resisting the urge to run his hands through his chocolate brown hair and cleaning the steam wand instead.

“You’re welcome,” he managed to reply, annoyed that his voice sounded so croaky.

He was wrecking his brain for more things to say, something witty and funny, maybe, while handsome gege put a lid on his cup, thinking maybe he should have drawn his mole after all.

While he was still contemplating his next choices and screaming at himself to do something, gege nodded one more time and turned around the moment Yibo opened his mouth.

“Have a good day…” Yibo muttered to gege’s retreating back, chiding himself for being so bad at small talk. Why couldn’t he be as natural as Jackson, who always knew what to say and how to crack someone up? Why was his tongue feeling heavy and like it was glued to the roof of his mouth, and why was his head always empty when gege appeared?

Longingly, he stared after the tall, handsome man, watching him push the door open and disappear into the cool spring air.

A delicate cough brought him back to reality, and he found himself face to face with his co-worker and friend, Jackson Wang.

He knew that look on Jackson’s face and turned away, continuing his work and maybe slamming the tamper onto the coffee grinds within the group handle a little harder than necessary.

“Don’t say it,” he hissed sulkily, prompting Jackson to wince.

“You could just slide him your number,” Jackson suggested after a while and after checking that he wasn’t needed at the register right now.

Yibo shook his head vehemently.

“I never talk to him, apart from ‘hello’ and ‘thank you.’”

The guy seemed talkative and friendly. He was chatty with staff and other customers but with Yibo he was only ever polite, nothing more and nothing less. Maybe he didn’t like him, or maybe he thought Yibo didn’t like him. The thought made him gulp and an uncomfortable feeling spread out through his chest.

Yibo’s friends and co-workers had mentioned in the past that he looked quite unapproachable sometimes, and his roommate Seungyoun told him he had ‘resting bitch face’ and he wasn’t quite sure if Yibo wanted to be friends when they got to know each other at dancing class back in the days, even though Yibo had taken a liking to him and wanted to befriend him desperately.

If they could only look inside his head. He wasn’t cold; he was shy and quiet with people he wasn’t familiar with. It took him a long time to warm up to strangers, and he often felt clumsy in conversations.

He knew by now that gege worked in one of the big office buildings around and had watched him scribble into a notebook and digital notepad whenever he came to sit in on his lunch break, which was maybe once a week.

Sometimes he came alone, other times he came with a pretty lady or a guy.

Yibo hoped with all his might that those were his co-workers or friends and none of them was his partner, even though a voice in the back of his mind told him it would be impossible for someone like gege to not have people throwing themselves at his feet.

He pushed that voice away, but the panicky, queasy feeling in his stomach remained.

“He might be taken or even married,” he admitted to Jackson and swallowed thickly, not wanting to think about it, but his brain still came up with scenarios of gege posing for a picture on his wedding day, a beautiful girl or boy by his side. Maybe he even had children.

Gege’s age was hard to guess, but from the way he carried himself, Yibo assumed he was a couple years older than his 22-year-old self. Sometimes he looked like a boy and sometimes like a mature businessman and Yibo had a crush on all those versions.

“Didn’t see a ring.” Jackson shrugged off his concerns nonchalantly and helped fill up coffee beans and take-away cups.

“Did you search for his social media yet?” he asked, prompting Yibo to shake his head in frustration.

“I don’t even know his name.”

“Well, we need to find it out, then!”

Yibo wasn’t sure when it had turned into ‘us’ and ‘we’ and he frowned, unsure.

Of course, he was curious and wanted to find out more about gege, but then he also didn’t want to appear like a creepy stalker.

He voiced those concerns to Jackson, who let out a long-suffering sigh and walked back to serve a new wave of customers in need of their daily caffeine fix.

“If you don’t want to do any research, then you will need him to notice you.”

For the rest of his shift, Yibo mulled over Jackson’s words in his mind. It wasn’t like gege didn’t know he was there. He acknowledged him and looked at him. Sometimes he even smiled.

But Yibo was most likely one of many random people gege encountered every day. No one remarkable.

Maybe he had to try becoming remarkable?

Once he finished his shift and skated home to his small apartment that he shared with Seungyoun, he was still wondering what he should do. In the start he was quite happy with admiring gege from afar, not being new to the world of crushes, but as more time passed and his crush got stronger, he wasn’t satisfied with being a passive bystander anymore. He wanted more. If he was only more confident…

Seungyoun wasn’t there when Yibo opened the door to their little home. It wasn’t much, but it was theirs. They both had their own bedroom, a shared kitchen and living area, and a bathroom. It was old and a little run down and sometimes the hot water wouldn’t kick in, but Yibo kept it neat and tidy and he was proud that he could afford his own place.

After a quick shower and an even quicker meal of cup noodles, Yibo got ready and grabbed his skateboard, rushing outside again and down the stairs to make his way to Huang Bo’s dance school.

That was his life-in the mornings he made coffee, in the evenings he practiced dancing and tried making it as a performer and choreographer. A few months ago, he had started teaching his first class, a group of 10year olds, and despite being a little unsure of the offer, he ended up enjoying himself immensely. Thinking about choreographies for a bunch of little kids had turned out to be more fun than expected.

The cafe gig and the teaching job paid the bills, and he even had a little left for himself. Not much to afford anything grand, but he got by.

Yibo had dreams, and they kept him going.

Chapter Text

Chapter 2

When Yibo arrived at the café in the early morning, the light was already on, which meant that the boss was in today. Li Qin had worked as a baker for many years before deciding to open her own café, specializing in homemade pastries. Nowadays, she had stepped back and was busy behind the scenes, but if any shifts needed to be covered or an extra pair of hands were necessary, Li Qin jumped in.

Yibo rushed inside and suppressed a yawn. A barista’s life started early. By now he was used to getting up before the sun rose, and happy that his job gave him most of the afternoon and evening off to pursue his dancing career, but it hadn’t always been like that.

“Morning,” he muttered to Jackson, who was adjusting his cap and apron and received only a grumble in response, just like every time they worked together.

For the next minutes, Yibo prepared his workstation, while Jackson and Zhang Jingyi concentrated on their tasks around the shop. They were like a well-oiled machine and didn’t even have to communicate, and within half an hour, the shop was ready to open its doors.

The smell of freshly baked croissants, Danishes and cakes wafted towards them from the kitchen and mixed with the aroma of the coffee beans. Yibo breathed in deeply and got to work.

First things first.

He made Li Qin a decaf latte, Jackson a double shot mocha, and for Zhang Jingyi, he prepared a chai. For himself, he made a latte, drew a heart on it and finished with a little dot to the side. It wasn’t 7:30am yet, and he was already thinking of gege.

“Everyone ready?” Li Qin asked and put a tray of bagels onto the counter, sighing deeply.

“Feeling like a human being now!” Jackson confirmed and skipped to the front, where he put up the ‘open’ sign and returned to his spot in front of the register.

During the early hours, he would be stuck taking orders and handing over take-away food, while Zhang Jingyi was responsible for the floor, cleared tables and did the dishes.

Li Qin would float around, making sure all the food items were stocked up, now that most of her baking was done.

“You’re going out later?” Li Qin asked Yibo, an eyebrow raised, and a small, amused smile on her face.

Yibo blushed fiercely and shook his head in denial as the first customers spilled through the doors and the first orders popped up on his screen.

“Well,” Li Qin mused and shrugged. “The eyeliner looks good on you!”

Yibo didn’t see Jackson’s smirk, but he heard his knowing cackle, and he almost burned his almond milk, suddenly feeling shy and called out.

After all, his friend was the one who advised that Yibo needed to get gege to notice him and well… if Yibo had woken up half an hour early, did his hair and make-up diligently and made sure he wore the black skinny jeans that made his ass look extra perky, that was perfectly valid.

During the morning hours, Yibo had one eye on the door, acutely self-aware and fidgety.

When gege finally appeared, his heart jumped in excitement and nervousness and he cleared his throat, trying to will down the urge to fuss with his dark brown hair.

Jackson threw him knowing glances that Yibo stubbornly ignored, telling himself to act professional, eyes ahead and not constantly craning his long neck to get a glimpse of gege standing in line.

And oh, he was wearing a suit today and a black coat. Yibo almost let out a little squeak when gege adjusted his tie, legs almost getting wobbly and mouth going dry. Gege wasn’t wearing his glasses today and his hair was fashionably styled and fluffed up. Yibo needed to run to the storage room and scream.

Pull yourself together, he scolded himself, and tried to get his head back in the game. The next orders were all non-complicated ones and as soon as gege’s coffee appeared on screen, he was ready to prepare it for him. It left Yibo feeling a little sulky. Usually, gege had to wait a few minutes, as he often came during rush-hour and Yibo had more time to secretly admire him. But today he had picked a good spot and Yibo almost felt tempted to take extra time.

Alas, gege was looking at his watch and seemed in a rush, as evident by the way he threw quick glances towards the door and kept pacing.

Yibo gulped and almost dropped the milk bottle in his hurry to fill up the jug. He wouldn’t want to make gege annoyed by being slow on purpose!

But he still took the time to make some pretty latte art, deciding on a sun and even giving it a smiley face.

With a pounding heart, he slid the cup over and waited, forcing himself to look at gege. He had already prepared what he would say in his head and even though his throat suddenly felt tight, he wouldn’t back down this time.

Gege smiled at him and picked up the coffee.

“Thank you!” he said, already on his way out, and Yibo’s heart sank. He almost reached out comically, trying to keep gege where he was.

At one point, gege’s steps faltered, and he looked back. Yibo froze in terror and delight.

“Nice!” gege commented and lifted the coffee cup, before turning around again and rushing out the door.

“Mn,” Yibo muttered, feeling his ears burn and finally returning gege’s smile.

Immediately, one Jackson Wang appeared in his field of vision.

“That,” he started and shook his head, “was painful to watch!”

Yibo sighed longingly after gege, not even having the energy to glare at Jackson. He had lost his chance once again and all the extra time in the morning was for nothing because gege was too scattered and in a hurry to take him in.

Yibo gloomily rinsed out his milk jar and continued working.

When it was time for his lunch break, he sat down in the backroom, a bottle of water and a chicken wrap in front of him. But before he could take a bite, Jackson pulled him up and pressed the wrap into his hands.

“You’ll eat that on the go,” he announced, ignoring Yibo’s protests. “We’re going on a little excursion!”

The excursion turned out to be a trip to the building opposite the road.

Yibo wasn’t born yesterday, and he narrowed his eyes at his determined friend.

“How do you know in which one he works?” he asked while taking in the multi-story buildings and the numerous people coming and going, most dressed in business attire, talking into their phones or headsets and carrying suitcases or portfolios.

He sidestepped a very loud lady in clicking high heels who was screaming at someone on the other end of the line and had no regard for her surroundings. Yibo gave her a dirty look. He couldn’t stand selfish people like that!

“I saw him go in there, dummy,” Jackson explained and took big strides towards the middle building. They all looked the same to Yibo, but he shrugged and followed, looking left and right suspiciously.

“I don’t think we’re allowed to go further,” Yibo whispered, after they found themselves inside a huge entrance hall. In front of them, he could see a long reception desk and a corridor behind leading to multiple lifts. People casually walked past, scanning their cards and others stood in line, patiently waiting for approval to go through.

“Yeah,” Jackson agreed. “You’ll probably have to work here or have an appointment.”

Yibo took a sad bite of his chicken wrap, not hungry anymore but also not wanting to waste the free café food.

He was about to leave again when Jackson made a loud ‘Ha!’ sound and pulled him back by his elbow, walking them towards a huge sign on the wall.

“Those are all the offices in here!” he exclaimed in excitement and Yibo made big eyes once he saw the names.

For the next minutes, they studied and discussed the sign, finding lawyers, architects and real estate agents, an advertising & design studio, a modelling agency and a few other places Yibo dismissed straight away.

“I wouldn’t take him as a lawyer either,” Yibo mused. “And I watched him draw into a notebook.”

“That could have been his hobby though,” Jackson wondered and scratched at his jaw.

“Could definitely be a model with those long legs,” Yibo muttered to himself, making Jackson choke and elbow him playfully.

Then he held up his phone and took pictures of the board, while Yibo’s eyes darted from left to right, worried someone might ask them what their business was. But so far, no one had even looked at them twice.

Still, he let out a relieved sigh when they exited the building again and sat down on a bench to go through Jackson’s photos.

“I think if his job involves drawing and creating, then maybe he is an architect or designer,” Yibo said and nodded to himself, trying to remember whether he had ever seen gege wear an identity card. With how closely he looked, something like that would have caught his attention and he frowned in concern.

“Even if we know where he works, we won’t find out his name, unless we walk up there, into the office and look at his name badge!”

He finished his wrap with one last bite and chewed in frustration, cheeks bulging comically and presenting a very endearing contrast to his dark expression.

“Well, it’s just a start. We’re only checking out the area,” Jackson explained. “We’ll narrow it down to the two most likely, and then we will do some online research. Maybe they have a homepage or something.”

He shrugged and opened his browser.

After a moment of contemplation, Yibo joined in, looking up the lawyers first, for just in case.

Silence reigned for the next minutes, while they looked up online presences and searched for information, names, or pictures.

“This is great!” Jackson exclaimed after a while. “They all have group pictures or headshots.”

“It’s a bit scary,” Yibo muttered in response. “Everyone knows who they are.”

Jackson shrugged, unbothered. “They want to advertise their craft and themselves. Best way to do it is by looking approachable.”

“Mn.”

Yibo could see it. He really did. But it still made him feel uncomfortable, as a very private person himself. If Li Qin would want to start a social media page where she introduced her employees, he wouldn’t know how to feel about it. She had a social media account, but it was full of pastry and coffee pictures. He even sometimes contributed to it himself.

“Oh, he’s not a lawyer,” Yibo stated and closed the page.

“Also, not an architect, at least not among the team. He might be an intern.”

Yibo buried his head in his hands and groaned until Jackson petted him on the shoulder and urged him not to give up yet.

Yibo decided to check out the advertising & design company next, eyebrows raising in approval when he saw their homepage design.

“Lotus Designs & Advertising, founded by Xuan Lu & Xiao Zhan,” Jackson read out slowly as he looked over Yibo’s shoulder. “Well, they should design a homepage for that lawyer Su She. His formatting is all off, and the logo looks like his cat drew it, haha!”

A nod was all Yibo managed as a response, clicking on the “about us” section and breath stuttering in his throat at the same time Jackson whooped in excitement.

“See? I told you we’d find him!”

And yes, they did, in the end. Yibo’s eyes were still locked on the screen, where gege’s smiling face was staring back at him. He was standing next to a pretty lady, the one Yibo had seen with him several times, and a few other men and women. Gege and the lady were in the middle of the picture, making it undoubtedly clear that they were both the owners. Some further research on the origins of the studio confirmed it.

Yibo gulped and adjusted his phone in his sweaty hands.

Gege was a business owner.

And now suddenly it hit him. Gege now had a name.

Xiao Zhan.

Xiao Zhan.

Yibo only realized he was muttering it to himself, testing out the sound, when Jackson giggled next to him, and he snapped his mouth shut in embarrassment, pointedly not looking at his gloating friend.

“Oh, there’s a Xiao Zhan on Weibo!” Jackson called out in excitement and Yibo’s head snapped to the side after all, annoyance forgotten.

“Show me!”

He took the phone out of Jackson’s hand, terrified and excited about what he would find. Would it be a family picture? A wedding picture? Xiao Zhan and his partner?

Yibo frowned and let out a confused “huh?” as soon as his eyes fell on the profile picture.

“That’s a cat.”

And the rest of his profile was locked.

“Yeah, he’s a cat dad!” Jackson said and grinned. “Means he’s cool.”

“I knew he was cool,” Yibo replied, and pouted sadly.

Now he knew gege’s name, and he knew what gege was doing for work, but he remained unaware of his relationship status.

“Small steps, Yibo, small steps!” Jackson encouraged him after he watched his shoulders sag and Yibo tried cheering up.

At least now he had a picture of gege.

If he cropped it and blurred out the surrounding faces… and most specifically, gege’s arm around Xuan Lu’s shoulders…

Yibo shook his head, annoyed at himself.

They were business partners and probably very good friends! He couldn’t just jump to conclusions and imagine the worst (for him!).

“Yibo, did you just save that picture???”

“Mn, it’s for research,” Yibo replied and turned beet-red.

“Ah, research!” Jackson repeated and wriggled his eyebrows suggestively while doing a rude hand gesture, until Yibo punched him and pulled him back towards the café.

If he snuck glimpses at gege’s, no, Xiao Zhan’s photo, during his shift, that was only his business alone.

Chapter Text

Chapter 3

When gege walked into the café the next day, Xuan Lu in tow, Yibo got so startled, he splashed oat milk all over himself and was scolded by Li Qin.

Moodily, he wiped the counter, exchanged his apron, and continued frothing milk more mindfully.

Even though he knew now that gege’s name was Xiao Zhan, his head hadn’t gotten with the plot yet.

Suppressing a yawn, Yibo studied the familiar order that also included a black coffee today, indicating that gege had paid for his companion’s drink. The thought made him feel even crankier. After spending some time alone last night with gege’s picture and his hand, he had been too keyed up to fall asleep easily, and it resulted in a very tired Yibo this morning.

He also might have wondered and worried about gege’s relationship with his business partner for longer than was healthy and had tossed and turned, frustrated and anxious.

His mind wasn’t in it today and he even messed up the latte art on gege’s coffee, contemplating whether he should do it again but, in the end, pushing the coffees over with lowered lashes.

“A black coffee and a latte,” he mumbled unenthusiastically, and only threw a quick look in gege’s direction before returning to fill up coffee beans and lids even though he had only just done that.

“Thank you,” he heard and replied with a small “welcome”, not looking up. Gege and Xuan Lu were chatting animatedly, and he didn’t want to see them smile at each other. He didn’t like the feelings it evoked in him. They were ugly and almost made him feel ashamed of himself.

As soon as gege and Xuan Lu left the store, Jackson hit Yibo.

“Stop moping, that won’t help anyone,” he lectured him and rolled his eyes. “We don’t know what their relationship is. You are probably sulking for nothing!”

Yibo hummed sadly, too tired to argue and too anxious to cheer up. The rational part of him knew he was overreacting and imagining the worst. But he was also sleep-deprived and crushing hard. He yearned for gege with a strength that scared him a little. Was it normal to be this infatuated with someone he didn’t even know? Were his feelings shallow and would disappear any day now? The thought scared him even more. What was his interest even based on?

He couldn’t explain it to himself. Of course, gege’s looks had attracted him first. The man was gorgeous. Tall, lean, but with defined pecs and muscular arms, and Yibo was sure he worked out regularly. Had spent a lot of time imagining gege working out, wearing a tight sleeveless shirt, soaked in sweat… But he didn’t want to go there now. Not in front of his coffee machine.

Gege had a beautiful smile that could light up the whole room and when Yibo saw it for the first time, he froze. Maybe he would have started drooling if Li Qin hadn’t hit him in the head with a dish towel, urging him to continue working.

But if Yibo had to pinpoint the moment he realized he had a crush, it was that incident.

And since then, the feeling of warmth, of joy, of a dark place suddenly becoming brighter, had gotten stronger and stronger every time he laid eyes on gege. Sometimes he felt almost floaty. Gege made his day better just by being around, and Yibo marveled at the pull he had on him.

Nowadays, thinking about gege at night was all it took for him to become aroused and Yibo quickly shook his head and forced himself to concentrate on his job.

He managed, somehow, for the rest of the day.

The next morning, he woke up with a clear head, wincing at his dramatic behaviour from the day before. Maybe a proper night of sleep and a talk with Seungyoun had helped ease his worries, and he was determined to talk to gege today, ask him how he was and maybe wish him a good day at work. That was casual small talk and other baristas did the same! Hell, Jackson did it every day. He could do it too!

Yibo kept firing himself up all morning, squaring his shoulders and mentally preparing himself.

But gege didn’t come.

Every time the door opened, Yibo stared, hopeful, but every time someone else entered the café, his shoulders slumped.

His morning passed like that, nervous anticipation slowly turning into confusion, then frustration and, in the end, worry. What if something happened to gege? Maybe he was sick. Or maybe it wasn’t as dramatic, and he had taken a day off, was on holiday, or had just decided he didn’t feel like having a coffee this morning.

Maybe he found a different café with a different barista who made better coffee.

Get out of your head, he scolded himself sternly, but still, the anxious looks towards the door remained.

In the end, gege came but not in the morning.

When he walked through the door at noon, offering a seat to Xuan Lu and sliding down onto the bench himself, only a table away from where Yibo was morosely eating his lunch meal, Yibo almost choked on a piece of bagel.

Staring down onto his plate, he cleared his throat silently and willed down his blush, telling himself he would not listen in, but failing spectacularly.

If Yibo was a comic character, his ears would have doubled in size.

There was a lot of business talk Yibo wasn’t so interested in. They mentioned an upcoming project and filming, a crew and timeline and gege’s voice sounded a little strained. He seemed stressed and a quick glance showed him running his hands through his un-styled hair, messy bangs falling onto his brow.

Xuan Lu smiled and reached out to pat the back of gege’s hand, reassuring him to not give up just yet and explaining that she had asked an old friend for help.

The ugly feeling Yibo had encountered the first time gege and Xuan Lu had appeared together woke up inside of him and made his stomach tie itself into knots of worry and jealousy.

Before he could spiral any further, a phone rang on the table and Xuan Lu picked it up, frowning at whoever disturbed her lunch date.

“It’s Ziyi,” she mentioned and smiled gently. If Yibo wasn’t so conflicted and confused on the inside, he probably would have taken a liking to Xuan Lu. She seemed kind. But right now, the only thing Yibo saw was her being all familiar and touchy with his gege, and it made him suffer internally.

“Tell your wife I said ‘Hi’,” Xiao Zhan commented casually, before taking a small bite of his croissant and Yibo sighed, feeling relief wash over him, causing the worry and tenseness to disappear and leaving nothing but giddiness in their wake. Only a second ago, he had wanted to cry, scream and pull gege away from his ‘friend’, but right now, he wanted to dance, laugh and hug her.

If gege knew what Yibo was going through, quietly sitting down and appearing like he only minded his own business, he would fall right off his chair!

A covert look to the side immediately made him freeze and gulp, breaking out in a cold sweat. Did he sigh too loudly? Had he made an embarrassing noise after all? Or had gege finally noticed his constant ogling?

Gege was staring straight at him and the moment their eyes locked, Yibo got hit by a spark of electricity that almost made him jump high up into the air.

Quickly, he averted his gaze again, then looked around the room in what he hoped was casual behaviour and wouldn’t reveal that stealing secret looks at gege had been his whole damn mission all along!

He coughed sheepishly and only just stopped himself from scratching his head and fiddling with his hair.

Relax, Yibo.

He finished his lunch, head down the entire time and struggling with it, feeling fidgety. Especially when he felt gege’s eyes on him again. But Yibo was stubborn and right now he felt embarrassed.

Once his break was over, he quickly got up and rushed back to the counter, sweating a little.

He couldn’t relax for long and his stomach lurched when gege appeared in front of the register again, ordering a coffee-to-go.

Yibo swallowed thickly, hands a little shaky. How did he go from moaning and lamenting, wanting gege’s attention and fretting about his relationship with Xuan Lu to hoping that a hole would open up and swallow him whole? That was not what he had planned to do! Today was the day he was finally going to talk to gege. But when he tried sorting through his mind and coming up with casual things to say, he blanked out again.

Frustrated with himself and feeling all flustered, he looked around, needing a moment to get back on track, and the familiar, repetitive process of grinding coffee beans, temping his shot and putting the group handle back into the machine, helped ground him at least a little.

When he looked up next, gege was standing opposite the counter and he almost let out a frightened yelp, heart in his throat.

Their eyes locked once again, and Yibo panicked.

“You weren’t here this morning,” he blurted out and immediately wanted to vanish from existence.

The first thing he said to gege that wasn’t ‘thank you’ or ‘you’re welcome’ and he sounded hostile. Like he was accusing him of not turning up! Yibo wished for the power to turn back time and the ability to remain calm and composed in front of his crush.

But the next moment, while Yibo’s eyes were busy darting left and right and he was frothing gege’s milk, gege chuckled good-naturedly and Yibo’s worries eased instantly. He almost let out a long sigh of relief.

“I was late for work,” gege explained, his voice calm and soothing and Yibo’s knees went a little weak as he forced himself to meet gege’s eyes.

“But I missed my coffee, so I came for lunch.”

Yibo nodded along, trying to not show how hard his heart was beating in his chest and that he was internally freaking out. He felt like he was vibrating out of his shoes as he slid the finished latte over.

Gege picked it up with a small smile and that’s when Yibo fully took in the dark shadows under his beautiful eyes that had lost some of its shine. Gege looked tired and like he needed a good nap.

“Please don't work too hard and take breaks,” Yibo said, before his head was able to catch up with his mouth, realizing how deep and soft his voice sounded and feeling his cheeks heat up.

Who did he think he was? First, he questioned gege’s absence this morning, now he lectured him? Yibo wanted to burst into tears!

But gege’s reaction wasn’t what he had expected.

The man cocked his head in surprise, one eyebrow lifting slightly, and Yibo wondered what he was thinking.

“Thank you,” gege replied after a few long seconds and he sounded genuine.

Yibo’s heart did a little flutter in his chest.

“I will try,” gege continued, a smile in his voice, and winked.

He winked.

Yibo couldn’t help it. A small smirk quirked up the corner of his mouth and he swallowed down the squeal in his throat.

“Mn,” he replied and forgot to put coffee grinds into the group handle before locking it into place.

“See you tomorrow!” gege said and waved cutely, before heading out the door, Yibo’s eyes following him and wondering whether gege had a spring in his step or whether it was just his imagination.

Li Qin whacked him when he stood staring at the door, a goofy grin on his face.

For the rest of the day, nothing could dampen Yibo’s excitement. Even rude and irritable customers didn’t seem like such a nuisance anymore.

Today, Yibo had talked to gege and gege had smiled and winked at him.

He could take on the entire world!

Chapter Text

Chapter 4

“You don’t have to agree, but I thought I’d bring it up with you first, just in case you’re interested…”

Yibo nodded along, chewing on his bottom lip and gaze shifting towards the wall behind his teacher, admiring the trophies and picture frames of past successes.

Huang Bo wasn’t actively competing anymore, now happy to be behind the scenes and train the next generation. Yibo was glad that he was able to learn from him, as a dancer and teacher alike, and he soaked up every piece of advice and wisdom, dead set on getting better and better and one day to be as successful as Huang Bo had been in his prime.

The gig, well, it was definitely interesting. The circumstances were quite …unusual, and he understood Huang Bo’s reluctance to offer it to him.

“I know it’s last minute, but they pay well,” Huang Bo added and crossed his arms in front of his chest, awaiting his decision.

Yibo perked up.

A mall was better than nothing, and he couldn’t be picky. So far, he had only performed at kids’ birthday parties, so really, the mall was a step up from it, right? Maybe someone would notice him. It wasn’t a bad opportunity, and he should be grateful that Huang Bo offered it to him first.

Also, he always needed money.

“I’ll do it,” he said and nodded, face expressionless but attentive, eyes fixed on his teacher.

Huang Bo seemed a bit surprised but began bringing him up to date and explain what was expected of him.

This was how Yibo found himself in the middle of the mall on Saturday afternoon, dressed up as a green trashcan, dancing in front of a new store that was selling modern trash bins of a brand he didn’t bother reading about.

His job was simple. They told him to dance to the music while a man with a microphone was upselling the products and a few girls were giving out balloons and leaflets. Yibo had asked whether they wanted him to dance a certain style or prepare a performance, but the lady who was in charge of the event had cocked her head, then told him to just ‘vibe with the music but not be too raunchy’.

Yibo had nodded obediently. He could easily do that and made a mental note of leaving the body rolls out this time.

Long ago, he had stopped being embarrassed, aware that most people who passed by didn’t even spare him a glance. His skin was thick, and he was nothing but determined. If it brought him money and featured dancing, he was very likely to agree, even if it meant dancing freestyle in a trashcan outfit.

Once he was asked to dress up as Ultraman, and another time as a cow. Yibo had set his jaw and did his best. At least the kids had enjoyed it.

He was on a break, sitting by the side, thirsty and with sweat running down his temple, when he glimpsed handsome gege, Xiao Zhan, coming towards him and his eyes widened immediately as an uncomfortable feeling, something close to shame, spread out through his chest.

Yibo was fine with random people seeing him dressed up like this, but his crush? What would he be thinking? Too self-aware and with a million thoughts and scenarios on his mind, Yibo made himself as small as possible, trying to look like part of the surroundings but keeping an eye on gege.

His crush strode purposefully towards the lady in charge, back straight and oozing confidence. He looked like a very important person and Yibo gulped as gege talked to a make-up jiejie as well as a photographer, then said something to a lady with headphones. Everyone nodded at him attentively and realization dawned on Yibo.

Advertising and design agency… was he working for gege’s company? His cheeks went red with embarrassment as he tried to remember the name on the contract he signed. Yibo hadn’t paid attention to it and only read the small print, after having been burned before.

Shaking his head and lamenting about his bloody bad luck, Yibo sent a prayer to heaven.

Maybe gege wouldn’t notice him.

But his prayer remained unanswered. After gege scanned the area where three girls were performing and nodded to himself, his eyes kept roaming until they stopped at the corner Yibo was sitting.

Yibo could see his eyebrows rise from afar and he sheepishly wiped his sweaty brow, hoping he looked alright.

Usually, he wasn’t vain, but with gege’s eyes on him, he felt hyper-aware of every little imperfection.

Wishing he had a towel and had remembered to bring his water bottle, Yibo let his hands run through his hair, hoping it wouldn’t look too messy. Huang Bo said it would be casual, and he was wearing a costume, so he hadn’t bothered with make-up or styling, but regretted it now.

Gege’s long strides led him purposefully towards Yibo, but before he could reach him, he waved at a production assistant and called the man over. From what Yibo observed, gege was giving him orders, while pointing at him.

Almost automatically, Yibo straightened his back. Was gege unhappy with him and complained? He talked animatedly, and Yibo thought he could see a displeased frown on his face.

His heart sank into the pit of his stomach and his eyes darted left and right while his body tensed, ready to bolt. But he couldn’t just run away from a job, could he? So he stayed where he was, feeling like a deer in the headlights and wishing he wasn’t the subject of gege’s scorn.

As soon as gege got closer, Yibo’s tense shoulders sagged, and he almost gaped in shock and confusion.

Gone was the stormy expression. In its place, gege sported an amused half-smile that turned into a full-on grin when he stopped a few feet away from Yibo and chuckled.

“Dancing barista, huh?” he commented and giggled to himself.

Yibo opened his mouth once, but no words would come and he snapped it shut again, feeling so embarrassed, so confused, and so infatuated.

Gege couldn’t just walk over here all business like and then suddenly smile at him and hit him with that giggle? What was Yibo supposed to say? What was he supposed to make of this?

In the end, he hummed and nodded, needing a moment to collect himself.

If gege noticed his awkwardness, he didn’t comment on it and let it slide. Yibo was grateful for it.

“You must be thirsty. Ah!”

The assistant from before appeared again next to gege and handed him a bottle of water as well as a towel.

“Thank you,” gege said neutrally, smile slipping off his face. “Make sure an oversight like that won’t happen again.”

The assistant nodded furiously, eyes downcast, and shuffled off as soon as gege dismissed him.

And Yibo?

Yibo was currently going through something.

The way gege had turned serious and authoritative from one second to the next had done things to him. At first, he was glad that his anger wasn’t directed his way, but when he realized that it was because of him, Yibo felt hot and then cold and then hot again. There was a tiny, pleased spark within him, and he shoved it away, not sure if that reaction was appropriate.

Before he could continue screaming internally, the cold water bottle was pressed into his hand. Yibo unscrewed the lid with somewhat shaky fingers and gulped half of it down in one go.

“Thank you,” he said breathlessly and wiped at his sweaty face, taking a little longer trying to scrub away the annoying blush too. At least if it remained, he could blame it on exertion.

“I’m Xiao Zhan.”

Gege had sat down next to Yibo and was now holding out his hand.

Yibo blinked and almost fumbled his bottle in his haste to shake gege’s hand.

“Wang Yibo,” he introduced himself and tried hiding the whole-body shiver at feeling gege’s, Xiao Zhan’s, skin against his own.

His handshake was firm, and his hand was slightly sweaty, just like Yibo’s.

“Thank you for helping us out, Wang Yibo,” Xiao Zhan said and Yibo shivered once again at hearing his name come out of Xiao Zhan’s mouth. He wanted to record it and listen to it at night. Over and over.

He almost sighed stupidly at the thought.

“No problem,” Yibo replied. “Thank you for the opportunity.”

He winced at how stiff and formal he sounded, wishing he could loosen up some more, but he was still processing that this was gege, sitting next to him and introducing himself, gege who thanked him and gege who told one of his staff off for not providing Yibo with something to drink.

His head was swimming a little, but Xiao Zhan’s gentle voice cut through the chaos in his mind.

“So, you’re not only a barista but also a dancer?” Xiao Zhan enquired, sounding impressed, and Yibo preened a little under his attention, a small smile on his lips.

“Mn,” he agreed and lowered his lashes, then forced himself to look at Xiao Zhan. “I’ve been dancing since I was a child.”

“Wow, I guess it’s your passion?”

Yibo nodded firmly and straightened his back. “Yeah, I love it. There’s nothing better.”

“Are you doing this a lot? Performing in public?”

Yibo scrunched up his nose. He wanted to impress gege, but he wasn’t someone who boasted or blew things out of proportion. So he stayed honest.

“A little here and there. Mostly smaller gigs now, and local competitions. I teach classes as well.”

Xiao Zhan nodded along, an open and curious expression on his face.

Yibo tore his gaze away from the mole under gege’s lips and swallowed, throat clicking. He took another swig of water.

“Mad respect. I would probably faint if I had to perform in front of an audience.”

Xiao Zhan giggled to himself and Yibo melted.

Before he could help himself, he let out a little cackle himself. “I’m sure gege would be fine. Running a business is even harder,” he replied with a smile in his voice but immediately froze after, cursing himself internally.

If Xiao Zhan noticed his slip, his slips, he didn’t mind, as he continued laughing to himself and shaking his head.

“It’s hard, but in a different way. You’re right.”

“Do you have to hold a lot of speeches?”

Xiao Zhan snorted and rolled his eyes.

“Motivational speeches, ah? Yes, I do. From time to time. It’s good for team building.”

He winked and Yibo gave him a wide, relieved smile, glad that he hadn’t messed up.

“See, I couldn’t do that. Talking… in front of so many people…”

He shook himself and caught gege’s somewhat empathetic smile. The man understood, and Yibo was going to explode with too much giddiness.

“Wang Yibo? We’ll have you back in 5!”

A production assistant with a megaphone had walked up to them and, upon realizing that it was Xiao Zhan who sat next to him, the lady’s back straightened.

“Laoban,” she said and bowed timidly, before carefully walking away and Xiao Zhan sighed.

“Are you feeling alright? The outfit is not too bulky?” Xiao Zhan asked and got back on his feet, looking Yibo up and down.

Incredibly self-aware of the trashcan outfit, Yibo petted himself down and shook his head, embarrassment making the tips of his ears redden.

“It’s fine. I’ve danced in worse,” he replied in a small voice and gave gege a hopefully reassuring smile.

“If you say so,” Xiao Zhan said and smiled encouragingly, no judgement or ridicule in his eyes and Yibo stood up a little straighter.

Just own it, he told himself. It’s only an outfit. The important part is the dancing and you know you’re good.

Suddenly, his eyes widened.

“Will… will you watch?” he asked, annoyed at his stutter.

Xiao Zhan raised his eyebrows, looking unsure.

“If that’s okay with you?” he said, or better: asked. The owner of the company he was working for was asking him if it was alright.

Yibo couldn’t help it. He snorted.

“Yes, of course!” he replied. “I will give my best!”

Xiao Zhan grinned back at him, previous insecurity gone again.

“Jiayou!” he shouted and stood to the side.

Walking towards the stage, Yibo felt clumsy, aware that Xiao Zhan was watching and feeling his eyes on him. He took a few deep breaths to calm his nerves and talk himself up, reaffirming himself of his abilities.

As soon as the music started, all anxiety and insecurity fell away and his body moved almost automatically. Now this he could do. Talking was hard. Dancing was easy. It was in his blood and Yibo felt truly in his element, as he performed move after stunning move, feeling relaxed and invincible, letting his body do the talking.

And his performance attracted a small gathering. People who were doing their afternoon shopping or meeting friends at the mall stopped to watch him, and, faintly, Yibo heard the sound of clapping and whooping.

Once the music stopped, and he ended his performance on his knees, the loud applause startled him, and he blinked owlishly at the spectators, coming back to the present.

Sometimes, when he performed, he vanished into his own little world, where his surroundings ceased to exist, and it took him a little while to fully ground himself again.

In this particular case, another cold bottle of water pressed into his hands by one Xiao Zhan did the trick easily and Yibo gulped down a few mouthfuls, feeling parched and exhausted, but elated.

And the elation grew even more powerful when he took in Xiao Zhan’s impressed gaze, his slightly wide eyes and the way he looked at him more closely than before.

Oh, maybe Yibo would be brave, after all! Maybe he would ask gege if he wanted to grab dinner together… Maybe…?

“Xiao Zhan!”

“Ah?”

Xiao Zhan turned around towards the production assistant rushing towards him and Yibo deflated.

“The manager wants a word.”

Curiously, Yibo followed the woman’s gaze, only to spot a bald, middle-aged man who was wringing his hands with an excited smile on his face. Well, at least the event seemed to have been a success!

With a long-suffering sigh, Xiao Zhan turned towards Yibo.

“Business calls,” he lamented and rolled his eyes, for only Yibo to see, causing him to giggle gratingly and slap his hand over his mouth. Hopefully gege wouldn’t be turned off by his ugly laugh! Yibo couldn’t help it, but he sometimes sounded like a honking goose. His friends thought it was funny, but he didn’t want to turn gege off, especially not after he had just impressed him with his dancing skills!

But there didn’t seem to be a need to worry, and Yibo wiped his brow sheepishly.

“Mn, take care. And thank you again for the opportunity.”

Xiao Zhan laughed, and the sound made Yibo shiver. It was deeper than his giggle and incredibly sexy. He shook himself. Sometimes, after dancing, he was all riled up and gege’s hotness didn’t help him at all right now.

“Thank YOU, Wang Yibo. That was amazing. You’re really very talented. We were lucky to have you. I feel your wage is no longer adequate…”

“No, no!” Yibo immediately shook his head when Xiao Zhan started typing away on his phone. “Please, it was very generous. More than adequate! I couldn’t accept any more,” he argued, standing his ground, even though he could always use some extra cash. But Yibo had his pride, too. They had agreed on a fee in advance, after all.

“Well, if you say so,” Xiao Zhan muttered, obviously not agreeing with him, but in the end, he shrugged and put his phone away. “Then I’ll have to make it up to you another way!”

“You…Oh.”

At first, Yibo wanted to dismiss his offer once again, but then the implications sank in and his eyes widened in stunned disbelief. Did gege mean what he thought he did?

But before Yibo could clarify, Xiao Zhan turned towards the shop manager and Yibo swallowed his question, feeling like he was hogging gege’s precious time. He had more pressing things to do than chat with a sweaty wannabe dance star. And Yibo didn’t want to cause him any trouble.

So they said their goodbyes and Yibo floated home, only realizing when he was sitting in the Subway, halfway home, that he hadn’t taken off the trashcan outfit.

Chapter Text

Chapter 5

When Yibo was lying in bed that night, he still couldn’t wipe the goofy smile off his face, replaying the events of the day over and over. Yes, he could have been smoother, and he regretted not asking gege more questions about himself, but still, it was more than he had expected!

With a content sigh, he palmed himself through his loose sweatpants, recalling the way gege had said his name and grinned at him. Thought about the way gege’s eyes had lit up after the performance and the way his deep laugh had made his stomach flutter.

“Fuck,” he muttered and bit his bottom lip as a wave of heat washed over him and he shoved his hand into his sweatpants, where he was so hard it was ridiculous. Only thinking about gege made him feral beyond belief and he started stroking himself fast and hard, the slide made easier by the pre-cum already leaking down his length.

It didn’t take him long to reach orgasm, and he came with a muffled groan, biting his bottom lip fiercely so as not to wake up Seungyoun in the room next door. The walls were thin, after all.

He thought his mind wouldn’t settle enough to sleep properly this night, but after having relieved himself, exhaustion claimed him quickly.

Now that he had officially met Xiao Zhan and talked to him, Yibo wasn’t as nervous anymore when the other man entered the cafe in the mornings and often their eyes met as soon as Xiao Zhan had stepped through the front door.

Yibo was more relaxed now. 

They talked more and even though the hold Xiao Zhan had over him was as strong as ever, Yibo didn’t quite feel as star struck and nervous anymore. Gege was a handsome stranger no longer. Now he was a handsome acquaintance.

“You should ask him out,” Jackson said, one early afternoon, when he and Yibo were taking off their aprons, letting the late shift take over.

Yibo made a non-committal noise and shrugged. He should. He planned to.

Only after that Saturday where he almost had asked Xiao Zhan, he didn’t feel just as brave anymore. Sure, they talked now, but their conversations were very casual, short and not that deep.

Yibo longed to sit down with gege and learn more about him. Listen to his voice, hear about his hopes and dreams, his hobbies, his favourite movies or food he enjoyed.

But what if gege wasn’t interested in getting to know him better? What if he misinterpreted his kindness? And he had never followed up on his statement back then about paying Yibo back another way. Maybe he was only joking? Also, Yibo knew he wasn’t dating Xuan Lu, but that was only one person dismissed. Gege could still be taken or seeing someone.

Yibo had to admit to himself, but not to Jackson, that he was scared of rejection. The thought of gege giving him a sad smile and telling him tactfully that this was not what he was after made him shake himself, and he cursed his unhelpful brain. Usually, Yibo wasn’t prone to overthinking. But gege… well, Yibo was very serious about gege and it showed.

Maybe he was too cautious.

After all, if he didn’t act, and if gege didn’t act, they would be stuck here.

All afternoon and even at night at dancing school, he was distracted, trying to fire himself up to act. He needed to do something, or he would regret it forever.

The idea of letting gege slip away was even worse than all the other scenarios Yibo had come up with, and in the end, he had decided on a plan.

As he wasn’t the best with words, he would show gege he cared another way.

In the coming week, he made sure he left messages on gege’s coffee cups, feeling a little shy the first time gege came to the counter and picked up his cup and smiling sheepishly when gege giggled and turned laughing eyes towards him.

It wasn’t much. Yibo had prepared him a lid and written down “Have a good day”, followed by a smiley. But gege’s reaction made him feel all warm and pleased inside and when gege wished him a very good day as well, he couldn’t help but feel accomplished.

He continued this way, sometimes feeling bold and leaving messages like “please don’t forget to take breaks” and even looking up motivational phrases. In the end, he dismissed them all for being too cheesy or too intimate, and they definitely weren’t there yet. But he kept the little notes going.

One day, gege looked exceptionally tired, wearing a gray beanie and eyes small behind his glasses. He suppressed a yawn several times and Yibo frowned, displeased that gege felt so poorly this morning. Hopefully, a coffee would wake him up properly and he wouldn’t struggle at work!

When Yibo returned gege’s tired smile and watched him browse the pastry cabinet, he got an idea and quickly finished his orders, leaving gege’s for last.

Then, before he started frothing his milk, he rushed to the back, where Yu Bin was taking fresh blueberry muffins out of the oven.

“I’ll buy one of those,” Yibo announced and quickly grabbed a bag, trying to not burn his fingers. The muffin smelled heavenly and anything fresh out of the oven would not only warm but also cheer someone up a little, right?

Yibo shuffled back to the machine and held the bag out to gege, who cocked his head in confusion.

“I didn’t order…” he started, but Yibo interrupted him.

“I know, don’t worry. It’s for free. You look like you could use some breakfast.”

“Oh. Thank you!”

Gege took the bag, seeming baffled, and Yibo hid a small smile.

“Do you want an extra shot in your coffee today?” he asked and squinted. “Long night?”

“Mn, yeah. I mean, yeah, to the coffee shot. And the long night.”

Gege squeezed his eyes shut and sighed, then pushed his glasses back up his nose.

He blinked at Yibo.

“How much is the difference?”

“No difference.”

“Aiya, won’t you get in trouble?”

Yibo shook his head.

“No trouble,” he stated and grinned. “It’s fine. You’re one of our best customers.”

He didn’t tell gege he would pay for him. He got a staff discount after all, and gege would probably feel bad if he knew.

“If you say so…,” gege replied and raised an eyebrow when Yibo handed him the cup.

He looked around for a lid.

“No message for me today?” he asked and pouted.

Yibo almost knocked himself out on the coffee bean grinder.

“Of… of course… a message,” Yibo stuttered and reached for his pen, feeling flustered and all out of sorts. Gege couldn’t just pout at him this early in the morning. His heart was going crazy in his chest as he scribbled “Please go to bed early tonight” on the lid and slid it over.

When gege took a hold of it, their fingertips touched and Yibo felt a shiver run all the way down his spine, leaving his skin tingly and hot.

He tried masking his strong reaction by arranging his milk jars, keeping his hands busy and his mind occupied and only looked at gege again, trying to appear normal, when the man snorted in amusement.

“Thank you, I will heed your advice!” he said, and already sounded a little livelier. Yibo was internally pleased, and the corners of his mouth quirked up into a happy smile.

“Good! As you should,” he said, winked and cackled, then almost squeaked in shock. Did he just… flirt? With gege? All natural?

That was good, wasn’t it?

“Bossy…” gege muttered and cleared his throat while shuffling around on the spot and checking the time on his phone. He seemed a little out of sorts as well.

“Go, don’t be late for work!” Yibo encouraged him and took in the line forming in front of the register. He had to return to work, even though chatting and flirting with gege was much more fun.

“Ah, yeah, I better,” gege replied. “And I’ll let you get back, too. See you the day after tomorrow. Take care!”

“You too, see you!”

Yibo went back to making coffees, feeling lighter than before, when he realized that Xiao Zhan knew exactly when he was working.

When Xiao Zhan and Xuan Lu came in on his next workday, Yibo had just finished his lunch break and was on his way back towards the counter. It was unusually busy today, and he had cut his break short to help out. Now he regretted it a little. Especially after Xiao Zhan gave him that small devastating pout again.

“And here I thought you might join us today,” he lamented as he sat down and took off his jacket, the movement stretching the fabric of his dress shirt and giving Yibo a clear view of the outline of his pecs.

And oh, Yibo almost drooled in front of his crush and his business partner.

“Yeah,” he agreed and licked his wet lips, heart suddenly in his throat when he realized that this was his chance. His chance to ask gege to have lunch with him another time!

“Maybe-”

“WANG YIBO, GET BACK HERE!!”

Yibo startled and grimaced, deflating and sending an apologetic smile towards gege, mindful to include Xuan Lu as well. They hadn’t been introduced to each other formally yet, but Yibo was attempting to be attentive and polite, feeling guilty and a little ashamed for thinking she was Xiao Zhan’s partner and forming an unbased opinion, even if it was only in his head.

He quickly rushed back, washed his hands, and put on his apron and cap.

When he saw Xiao Zhan’s order on screen, he decided to be brave and drew a foam heart with a little dot next to it on gege’s latte. And, feeling especially daring, Yibo doodled a short note on a serviette as well, placing it neatly on a saucer and pushing the coffees out to where Zhang Jingyi was already waiting. His colleague hid a smile and rolled her eyes at him, prompting Yibo to break out in a sheepish gremlin smirk, excited and nervous at the same time.

He tried catching gege’s reaction, wondering whether he would realize what the latte art represented and whether he smiled at the “Enjoy your latte 😊” message, but another wave of coffee orders kept him on his toes, and he wasn’t able to keep an eye on the floor.

When Yibo finally had a moment to catch his breath, he noticed that Xiao Zhan and Xuan Lu had left. He hadn’t even realized. With a sulky expression on his face, he cleaned the steam wand and wiped down his work area, about to reach down for more coffee cups and lids, when an unmistakable giggle reached his ears and a shadow fell over him.

“Hm?” he asked, when Jackson didn’t say anything but kept staring at him like the cat who got the cream.

“Something was left for you,” he said ominously and waved at him with a serviette.

Yibo squinted.

“Huh?”

Did gege leave his note behind? Somehow the thought broke his heart a little, and he quickly lowered his gaze, pretending to search for more chocolate powder so Jackson couldn’t see how upset he was. How was that even funny? Yibo didn’t understand. Jackson was cruel!

His colleague finally stopped cackling and slid the serviette over. “There you go,” he said and winked.

With a stormy expression, Yibo reached for the piece of paper and was about to crumple it up, but Jackson’s screeching made him freeze on the spot and cock his head at him.

Jackson had his arms stretched out and looked like he was ready to jump over the counter. He took a deep breath, then squeezed his eyes shut and massaged the bridge of his nose.

“You’re unbelievable. Can you just LOOK at it, ah? I don’t know what you thought this was, but it’s obviously GOOD!”

With a now curious frown on his face, Yibo finally studied the serviette in his hands and immediately his eyes went round as saucers and a tingly warmth spread out through his whole chest as his skin broke out in goosebumps.

“Oh,” he replied faintly, feeling like he needed to lie down and process this.

Not only had gege drawn a super cute doodle of Yibo under the message he had left, but scribbled underneath was a phone number.

Gege’s number…

Yibo felt a little lightheaded and almost broke out in giddy laughter. The shock and exhilaration were too strong to handle.

“Jesus, are you okay? Do you need to sit down?” Jackson asked and huffed. “See? Told you it would all work out! You have to listen to me more often. I am very wise!”

A mop hit him in the head the next moment when Li Qin walked past and urged them to get back to work immediately or she would dock their pay.

Yibo nodded goofily, a silly smile still plastered all over his face and the note pressed close to his heart. He would treasure it forever!

But for the rest of his shift, he kept the serviette safely tucked away in his pocket, hyperaware of it and if he touched it now and then to reassure himself that this was really happening, that was no one’s business but his own.

After work, he went straight to dancing school, feeling pumped up and full of energy but buzzing out of his skin and eager to rush home at the same time. He shouldn’t let gege wait too long or he might wonder whether Yibo wasn’t interested in him after all!

Once home, he made himself go through his routine first, took a shower, switched on the laundry, ate a quick dinner of dumplings from the freezer and left a grinning Seungyoun lounging on the couch in front of the TV.

As soon as Yibo was in bed, blanket wrapped tightly around him, and excitement and anticipation making his fingers clumsy and sweaty, he unlocked his phone.

Then he shouted in terror and all colour left his face as an icy shiver ran down his spine.

Yibo gulped and broke out in a cold sweat.

He had left the note in his jeans pocket.

And the jeans were currently in the washing machine!

Chapter Text

Chapter 6

Yibo scrambled out of bed, all tangled up in his blanket and stumbling twice on his way to the washing machine, but when he looked at the quickly spinning laundry, he lost all hope. There was no way the fragile serviette would have survived the rough treatment and was probably a piece of mush by now.

“Is there a reason you’re moping at the washing machine? Get off the floor!”

With a frown, Yibo turned around and threw Seungyoun a filthy look.

“Leave me alone,” he grunted and sulked some more. What was he supposed to do now? What would Xiao Zhan be thinking?

Yibo’s heart sank into his stomach when he imagined the other man waiting for a call, a message, some form of contact, but receiving only silence.

Suddenly, he felt like crying.

“Yibo, what’s wrong?” Seungyoun asked and sat down next to him, elbows resting on his knees and examining him carefully.

With a sigh, Yibo pulled his eyes away from the spinning laundry and fiddled with the soft fabric of his sweatpants, twisting it in his fingers to keep occupied as nervous and anxious energy rushed through his veins. How he wished he had been more mindful when he got home. All day, the note had been on his mind… Why did he not take it out of his pocket?

Yibo told Seungyoun what had happened, feeling like he would explode if he didn’t get the words out. His fretting didn’t stop. He still felt like he wanted to burst into tears and scream, but at least now he wasn’t alone anymore.

“Well, that sucks.”

Seungyoun stated the obvious, grimaced and scratched his head while Yibo snorted.

“Yeah… Did I fuck it up before it even started?” he asked, voicing his most pressing concern, but Seungyoun only shook his head.

“Only if you don’t know when you see him again. But that guy is a regular, right?”

Yibo nodded, the pressure in his chest easing only slightly. He’d see him at work. But Yibo didn’t work the next day and he couldn’t possibly let gege wait any longer.

“I’ll go in tomorrow morning,” he said and squared his shoulders while taking a deep breath. That would be fine, right? He’d wait for gege at the café, apologize and explain what had happened and ask if he was free for dinner that night. Or any other night. Or coffee… Whatever gege wanted!

Yibo nodded to himself while worrying his bottom lip between his teeth, restless energy making him want to jump up and move.

“Well, I would have said wait until your next shift, but if you want to spend your day off at work, that’s up to you.”

Seungyoun shrugged, but Yibo remained adamant. He set his alarm at the usual time, making sure he would be there when the café opened. And then he would wait. No matter how long it took. And if gege didn’t come… Well, he could always wait in front of the big office building until gege finished work.

He nodded to himself when he was back in bed and took a few deep breaths to calm his still beating heart. But it was to no avail. Despite his plan, he was unable to fall asleep, brain still mourning what had happened and coming up with horror scenarios. He kept tossing and turning, eventually falling into a light and restless sleep that was too short to offer any relief.

By the time his alarm rang, he was already awake, eyes feeling sore and tender. Like he had cried or rubbed at them excessively, which he might have done during the long night.

Slowly, he sat up and groaned, nervous energy pooling into his stomach and making him feel almost nauseous. But he had to go through with it. Now was not the time to be timid and stick his head in the sand, despite all of his being shying away from confrontations like this. No, gege was too important.

So Yibo steeled himself, got presentable and skated towards the shop, trying to not overthink but failing miserably.

When he arrived, he was a sad bundle of nerves and even forgot to walk through the front entrance like a regular customer.

“You’re not working today?” Yu Bin asked doubtfully, when he watched Yibo shuffle through the backdoor and freeze.

“Um,” he started and was interrupted by Jackson, who nudged him with his shoulder.

“You sleepwalking? Jesus, Yibo, you look like shit! What happened?”

Yibo scratched his head sheepishly and turned away. He wasn’t that bad, was he? Sure, the bags under his eyes were unmistakable, but he thought he still looked somewhat human. With a sigh, he leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes.

“Is it that bad?” he eventually asked his friend, who kept eyeing him in concern and tried making out his reflection in the oven window.

“Sorry, I need to get the pastries out,” Yu Bin piped up, and Yibo traipsed to the side, smoothing down his hair.

He couldn’t face gege if he looked horrid!

“It’s fine, it’s fine, calm down, you just look tired, I was exaggerating,” Jackson reassured him while patting his back and helping him fix his hair that got all mussed up from the wind outside.

“You smell good too,” Jackson added, and Yibo knew he was trying to build up his confidence now.

“Thanks,” he muttered meekly, fiddling with his old jumper and wondering whether he should have worn something nicer.

“Why are you so nervous? Wait….!”

Jackson jumped back and made wide eyes. Then a knowing smirk appeared on his face. “Are you going on a date? This morning?”

He started clapping and jumping up and down, but the clapping ceased, and the smirk slipped off his face when Yibo glared at him. His glare was very potent.

“No date… I might have…-”

“JACKSON! Can you help, please?”

Meng Meiqi, the barista for the day, voiced her annoyance, and Jackson scrambled. Yibo’s shoulders drooped and, feeling a little guilty for disrupting their routine, he helped Jackson set up and assisted in the back until the first wave of customers entered the store.

Yibo’s stomach lurched when he saw gege among them, and he gulped noisily. At least he didn’t have to wait long!

At first, he remained hidden in the back and observed gege in line. Xiao Zhan didn’t look very concerned or stressed, which was possibly a good sign. He yawned a few times, which made sense. It was early, after all, and he didn’t have a coffee yet.

Yibo wrung his hands fretfully while worrying his bottom lip, heart in his throat and fidgeting around on the spot.

Yu Bin gave him a few odd looks but didn’t comment. He was similar to Yibo and talked little. Maybe that’s why they both got along, and maybe that’s why it was always eerily quiet when they opened the café together.

The closer gege got to the counter, the more nervous Yibo became and twice already, he had tried moving. But his feet seemed to be stuck to the tiles. It took him a ridiculous effort to talk himself up and tell his body to act.

Come on, Yibo. Be brave. What’s the worst that could happen? Gege isn’t cruel, he would understand.

Somehow, thinking of gege’s gentle smile and his laughing eyes gave him the strength he needed to set one foot in front of the other.

Fortunately, gege saw him approach and immediately waved while raising a questioning eyebrow.

“Didn’t expect to see you today,” he said when Yibo stopped next to him, hoping his wobbly legs would hold him up. Gege was wearing a snazzy suit today and his hair was styled. He smelled faintly of peaches and cream, and if Yibo hadn’t been worried out of his mind, he would have enjoyed being so close and learning new things about him.

But he was here on a mission and braced himself.

“Mn, I’m just here to see you,” he began and the way gege’s eyes widened in surprise and something else he couldn’t quite place, gave him the confidence to continue. Xiao Zhan wasn’t mad. That was all that counted.

“I wanted to contact you last night, but I was stupid and lost the note with your number. I’m really, really sorry.”

Yibo stared at Xiao Zhan expectantly, relieved that he got the words out but still tense, waiting with bated breath for his answer.

And Xiao Zhan… Xiao Zhan just looked at him. Then he blinked.

Yibo’s face fell, and he bit his bottom lip in concern, unsure what to make of the other man’s reaction.

Xiao Zhan opened his mouth, then closed it again, all the while Yibo was sitting on hot coals.

In the end, he shook his head in defeat.

“I’m sorry, Yibo,” he admitted. “But I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He wasn’t unkind, and even gave him a small smile, but Yibo still felt like he had been doused in ice water.

His breath hitched, and he almost shook himself, eyes darting away from Xiao Zhan’s as shame and embarrassment enveloped him like dark storm clouds.

It hadn’t been his number. Xiao Zhan hadn’t left his number for Yibo to find. What was it? Possibly just someone’s scribbling? It could be anything. And Yibo’s mind had immediately jumped to what he wanted most.

How could he be so naïve, so stupid?

“Yibo?” Xiao Zhan asked, brow furrowed, and Yibo suddenly felt like he was suffocating.

“Never mind. I’m sorry,” he pressed out and quickly rushed out the door, grabbing his skateboard and zooming down the road, not looking back.

He skated for hours, all around town, to the outskirts where it was quieter and where he could be alone and forget the shameful scene. Yibo finally stumbled to a stop, lungs burning, legs sore, but mind a little clearer.

As soon as he slumped down on a bench, he sighed deeply and let his head hang, feeling like a fool. In his panic, he had forgotten a very important detail… The doodle on the note. It was definitely of him. And the serviette was Xiao Zhan’s, because it had Yibo’s message on it.

With a groan, Yibo squeezed his eyes shut and pulled at his messy hair.

He shouldn’t have run away but should have tried getting to the bottom of it.

Only.

Xiao Zhan definitely hadn’t given him his number. The confusion on his face was real.

What had happened? Was he mistaken, and it was something else, after all? An order number? A phone number for a client he wanted to remember but left behind accidentally? It could be anything and everything, and Yibo sighed, cursing his frazzled mind. He couldn’t deny that he had been on edge since last night and bolted at the first sign of trouble. Now a part of him wished he had stood his ground and asked Xiao Zhan for more details. If not that, then he could at least have explained himself better.

But the damage was done. Yibo had run away like a frightened pup with his tail between his legs, leaving an even more confused Xiao Zhan behind.

Something inside of him twisted painfully, and he bit his bottom lip hard to keep himself from screaming. The thought of letting all his emotions out seemed rather tempting, but he knew for a fact that the young mom walking past with a pram would not appreciate the action.

So Yibo swallowed his frustrations, forced himself to get up, and skated home. Maybe he would have a revelation on the way.

There was no revelation, but when Yibo slumped down on the couch, feeling sweaty and anxious, pressed down by an invisible weight on his shoulders, a missed call by an unknown number was waiting for him on his phone.

He frowned, wondering whether it was a potential new gig. Usually, bookings went through Huang Bo and no one had ever contacted Yibo directly–he left the business side to the other man. Huang Bo was good at it. Yibo not so much. But maybe he had passed his number on?

Before Yibo had time to call back, a new message notification popped up, and he clicked on it, curious. At least it would distract him for a while.

But as soon as he read the first words, an embarrassing squeak escaped his lips, and he dropped his phone onto the floor while his heart jumped into his throat.

Hi Yibo, this is Xiao Zhan….

The words he had just read were already stuck in his head.

This… was someone joking? Was that really gege?

Before he could lose his mind even more, Yibo scrambled for his phone and, with slightly shaky fingers, he went back to the message.

[Hi Yibo, this is Xiao Zhan. I asked your co-worker for your number so I could properly apologize to you for this morning’s events. Unfortunately, there has been a misunderstanding I would like to clear up whenever you are free. I’m looking forward to hearing from you.]

Yibo sat staring at the message, mouth open and frozen on the spot, for a good minute and only a beeping car horn from outside pulled him out of his stunned state.

Xiao Zhan… had asked someone at the café for his number. And he wanted to apologize? Yibo didn’t know what to make of it. How could it possibly have been Xiao Zhan’s fault?

Head still spinning, but clouds of doom dissipating, Yibo leaned back and let out a long sigh. Then, a small, relieved smile spread across his features and the last of his anxiety vanished, replaced by something like giddiness. No matter what, gege still wanted to talk to him. Even went as far as asking his co-workers how to contact him. He wouldn’t do that if he didn’t care for Yibo, right?

With that thought giving him strength, Yibo read the message again, saved Xiao Zhan’s number and began composing a response.

Wang Yibo: [Hello Xiao Zhan, I’m glad you got in touch. I’m available all day today.]

Yibo chewed on his bottom lip, contemplating his message, but eventually he shrugged and sent it off. He would sit here forever typing and deleting, typing and deleting, if he thought too hard about what to say.

He didn’t have to wait long for a response, and it looked like Xiao Zhan had been waiting. The thought made Yibo’s insides alight with euphoria.

Xiao Zhan: [May I call you?]

Oh…

He meant right now, didn’t he?

Yibo gulped, heart fluttering nervously in his chest. He didn’t particularly enjoy talking on the phone and preferred messaging, but gege obviously had something to tell him.

Wang Yibo: [Of course.]

There was no time to freak out as his phone started ringing only seconds after he had sent the message and Yibo, in his haste to accept, didn’t even let it ring once.

“Hi,” he answered, a little breathlessly, clutching at the phone with both his hands.

“Hi Yibo, that was quick!” Xiao Zhan’s voice sounded right into his ear and a shiver ran down Yibo’s spine at hearing him so close. His voice was a little tinny but still unmistakably him, and the small chuckle following his exclamation went straight to his heart, prompting it to thump quickly in his chest.

“I… yeah..”

Yibo licked his suddenly dry lips, rolling his eyes at his own lame response. But fortunately, Xiao Zhan didn’t let the silence stretch or make it awkward.

“Listen, I really am sorry about this morning. To cut it short, you weren’t wrong. My phone number was really left for you. My best friend Xuan Lu took the liberty of writing it on the serviette.”

“Oh…” Yibo replied, stunned at the revelation and grimacing to himself. So it hadn’t been Xiao Zhan’s choice. His heart sank upon understanding how awkward it must have been for the other man.

“You don’t have to apologize for that,” Yibo said quickly, when Xiao Zhan paused. “You didn’t know. It wasn’t your fault.”

What a cruel joke that was. Maybe Xuan Lu wasn’t as nice as he thought. If any of Yibo’s friends had pulled a stunt like that, he would not have been happy. It wasn’t their place.

Something in his voice must have sounded off, because Xiao Zhan sighed and Yibo imagined him leaning back and running his hands through his hair.

“Listen… I know she sounds like a total bitch for messing with this and I already told her I’d appreciate it if she wouldn’t, uh… interfere…”

He chuckled a little awkwardly and trailed off while something hopeful stirred deep within Yibo. Maybe there still was a chance that Xiao Zhan was interested in him?

Feeling like Xiao Zhan wasn’t quite done yet, he remained silent.

After a few tense seconds, Yibo heard shuffling noises, indicating that Xiao Zhan moved the phone to his other ear.

“To be completely honest, I wanted to ask you… Lulu felt I was dragging my feet.”

Yibo’s mouth fell open and for a moment, he forgot how to breathe. Xiao Zhan… gege… wanted to ask for his number? And he was shy about it? Not knowing whether to laugh or cry, Yibo squeezed his eyes shut, an overwhelming sense of giddiness and relief washing over him. He wanted to squeal!

“So…so you left me the small drawing on purpose?” he asked, surprised that his voice came out so softly.

He could tell from the pause on the other end that Xiao Zhan was surprised as well.

“Yeah,” he replied, almost whispering, and cleared his throat. “Yeah, that was for you.”

“Oh.”

Yibo fell silent and so did Xiao Zhan.

“I feel awful I lost it,” Yibo finally exclaimed. “And I also apologize for… for running away earlier.”

Better to get this out immediately. Yibo still felt embarrassed but if Xiao Zhan felt the need to apologize, so did he. In Yibo’s opinion, Xiao Zhan wasn’t at fault at all, but he seemed to take the blame for his friend’s actions. Yibo didn’t agree with it, but he also didn’t know the other man well enough to tell him off.

“Don’t worry about it, Yibo. You must have had a stressful time, I could see. And me being so oblivious couldn’t have helped.”

Xiao Zhan’s honest and understanding words soothed him and before realizing it, Yibo had sunken deeper into the couch cushions, goosebumps breaking out all over his skin and a soft smile on his face.

Gege was so, so kind and wonderful and Yibo was talking to him on the phone. And he didn’t even stumble over his words!

“By the way,” Xiao Zhan continued. “I haven’t forgotten about what I said at the mall. May I invite you out for dinner this weekend?”

Chapter Text

Chapter 7

“I have absolutely nothing to wear!” Yibo lamented while standing in the middle of the bedroom in nothing but his boxers, pointing at his full wardrobe.

Tonight, in a few hours, he would see gege for dinner and if he didn’t have dancing classes to teach in the morning and grocery shopping to do after, he would have had more time to prepare.

In a way, it was good to keep his mind busy, but it also meant that he was freaking out even more now with only an hour to go until he had to be on his way. Yibo had already mapped out which subway to take and where to go. The restaurant Xiao Zhan had suggested wasn’t familiar to him, but he would have agreed to anything, really. As long as gege was there.

“It looks to me like you have TOO MUCH to wear, Yibo!” Seungyoun commented casually, and crossed his arms in front of his chest. “Okay, let’s go through it calmly.”

Yibo nodded, latching on to his words. Seungyoun always knew what to do. He went on many dates. He was experienced!

“Do you want to get laid tonight?”

Yibo choked on his own saliva, turning beet red before glaring at his unbothered friend.

“No, of course not! It’s only our first date.”

“Well, then I’d say you go with a smart casual fit,” Seungyoun suggested and squinted at his neatly organized wardrobe. “I guess asking you to tidy up my wardrobe…”

“Absolutely not,” Yibo cut in and shook his head. Seungyoun was so messy, even walking into his room made Yibo feel all itchy. He couldn’t stand clutter and disorganization. That’s why the apartment looked pristine, minus Seungyoun’s room.

Seungyoun shrugged, muttering “worth a try” under his breath and taking a light pink jeans jacket out of the cupboard.

“This, a white shirt and light blue jeans. You’ll be irresistible. Are you planning to use make-up?”

“Mn.” Yibo accepted the items Seungyoun had picked, eyeing them critically, before nodding to himself and getting dressed.

“You should also wear those hoop earrings. And a necklace. The one with the ox?”

Yibo nodded while pulling up his socks. “The necklace and earrings, but nothing more. I don’t want to look overdressed.”

“Trust me, you won’t. You’ll look fresh, but still very casual. Perfect for the occasion.”

Seungyoun winked and sidled up to him. “And you know, if you change your mind… I won’t be back until tomorrow morning.”

Yibo rolled his eyes, but before Seungyoun left, he thanked him earnestly. If his friend hadn’t helped, he still wouldn’t have decided.

In the now quiet apartment, Yibo critically squinted at his reflection in the mirror. At first, he wanted to style his hair, but the way his freshly washed and dried bangs fell softly onto his brow felt good and didn’t look half-bad, so he decided to go all natural. He applied make-up to his eyes and lips only, opting for strawberry lip gloss that went well with his jacket and dark eyeliner.

That would have to do.

After using his favourite perfume, he took a deep breath, nodded to himself in the mirror, made sure he had his keys, phone and wallet, and made his way to the closest subway station. And then he would have a date with gege!

—

Yibo shuffled around in his subway seat, heart beating quickly in his chest and ignoring the urge to chew on his fingernails-a bad habit he was actively trying to work on. Instead of that, he chewed on a mint and tried looking at his reflection in the window, not paying any mind to the quickly passing scenery outside. It was already getting dark and by the time he arrived at his exit, the sun had almost completely set.

From now on, he relied on his phone to lead him safely to the restaurant Xiao Zhan had chosen for tonight. Yibo became curious when his steps brought him closer to the river flowing through the city. He wasn’t aware that he was that close to it, having never been in this area before.

Yibo hummed contently when the light breeze hit his face, caressing his burning cheeks. Despite the chilly spring air, he felt almost overheated, jittery and close to bursting with anticipation.

On his walk along the river, he passed several bars and restaurants, all well-visited as was expected of a Saturday night.

When Yibo arrived at his destination, he came to a reluctant stop, resisting the urge to keep moving and taking in the cozy outside restaurant with its scattered heat lamps, wooden tables and lotus flower-shaped lamps hanging off the wooden beams, illuminating each table setting.

It was very atmospheric and Yibo felt himself smile at Xiao Zhan’s choice. It was almost… romantic.

The other man wasn’t here yet, but Yibo wasn’t worried. He was early, after taking the earlier subway in case of delays.

When he heard a cheerful “Hi!” behind him, Yibo yelped and almost jumped out of his shoes, but a soothing hand on the small of his back as well as a deep chuckle kept him fully grounded. He gulped, turned around and came face to face with Xiao Zhan.

Well, almost.

Gege was tall, and Yibo had to lift his chin to look at him.

“Sorry for scaring you,” Xiao Zhan said, an amused glint in his eyes.

“It’s alright,” Yibo replied, somewhat faintly. “I was distracted by the lotus lights.”

“So you approve?” Xiao Zhan asked, an eyebrow raised and Yibo couldn’t help his elevator eyes. Xiao Zhan wore a black leather jacket over a light green dress shirt tucked into his jeans, which emphasized his wide chest and small waist. His figure was insane and Yibo still wasn’t convinced he didn’t work as a part-time model.

“Mn, I approve,” he agreed and grinned, aware of the double-meaning of his statement.

“Then, shall we?” Xiao Zhan asked and pushed his hands into his pockets before casually strolling towards the counter, Yibo next to him, a spring in his step.

“I love this place, and I love hot pot,” Xiao Zhan said as soon as they were seated. “That’s why I wanted to show you.”

Yibo nodded along, feeling a little tongue-tied and sitting rather stiffly. He smiled back at Xiao Zhan shyly and hummed while scanning the menu in front of him, trying to find his words. It was all too perfect, a scene out of his wildest dreams, and his mind still had to process that this was really happening.

If Xiao Zhan noticed his silence, he didn’t take it the wrong way and kept chattering, telling Yibo about the various options and recommending his favourites. Yibo was happy with letting gege choose for him, especially since nothing he read actually made any sense to him. Not when gege was looking at him with smiling eyes.

“How are you with spices?” Xiao Zhan eventually asked and pointed towards the broth options.

Yibo scrunched up his nose and gave the other man an apologetic smile.

“Very bad. And you?”

“Pretty good,” Xiao Zhan commented. “I love my chili. So should we opt for half-and-half? I can recommend the mushroom base.”

Yibo nodded happily. “Mn, sounds good!”

“What else would you like to order?”

“I eat almost everything, so we should go with what you recommended. And extra coriander please.”

Xiao Zhan smiled widely. “You got it!”

As the evening progressed, Yibo found himself relaxing more and more and enjoying himself. Xiao Zhan was attentive and witty. He knew how to hold a conversation and Yibo was surprised by how much he talked himself. He was in the middle of recounting a dancing experience when the thought struck and he almost faltered, stuttering a little, before he got back on track.

Xiao Zhan snorted inelegantly when Yibo mentioned the cow onesie he had to dance in at a little girl’s birthday party and dabbed at his face with a napkin, putting down his chopsticks and grinning at Yibo, no judgement in his eyes, just amusement and something a little softer.

“I hope it wasn’t during the summer months. You would have suffered in it, I guess,” he commented and put a pork dumpling on Yibo’s plate.

Yibo sighed exaggeratedly. “It was in August and I was sweating buckets.”

“Oh no,” Xiao Zhan lamented and grimaced.

“Mn, then they told me I could keep the onesie.”

“How generous.”

With a snort, Yibo picked up the offered food and dipped it into some soy sauce. He didn’t know Xiao Zhan could be this dry. It made him smile even wider.

“Right?” he agreed and rolled his eyes, suppressing a smirk.

“I still have it,” he admitted only a moment later. “It’s actually very comfortable and perfect for winter, especially when the heater gives up again.”

“Oh.”

The smile slipped off Xiao Zhan’s face and was replaced by a frown. “Does that happen a lot?”

Yibo shrugged, lowering his gaze. Maybe he shouldn’t have told Xiao Zhan about the poor state of his apartment, but now that it was out, there was no reason to sugar-coat it.

“Occasionally,” he explained. “It’s an old building. But it has everything we need.”

“We?”

The question was posed casually, curiously, and Yibo nodded, still eager to explain himself. “I have a roommate. His name is Seungyoun, and he is also a dancer. We met during class a few years ago.”

“Ah, I see,” Xiao Zhan commented and popped a piece of thinly cut pork into the spicy broth.

“Do you live with someone?” Yibo couldn’t help asking and received a small, wicked half-smirk in return.

“I do, actually,” Xiao Zhan said, and Yibo almost started fretting again, until Xiao Zhan choked out a laugh, picked up his phone and showed him a picture of a cat.

“That’s my roommate. Her name is Jianguo.”

Hiding the fact that he had already seen the cat on Xiao Zhan’s Weibo, Yibo cooed, grinning in relief.

“She’s gorgeous. How old is she?”

“Two years now,” Xiao Zhan said, sounding like a proud father and Yibo was so enchanted, he couldn’t look away, eyes glued to Xiao Zhan’s mouth as he was talking about his Jianguo, soaking up every detail and eyes occasionally darting towards the mole under his lips.

When Xiao Zhan stopped to eat, Yibo suddenly felt like he hadn’t been clear enough.

“I’m living with Seungyoun, but there’s nothing between us. I’m single.”

“I… I guessed so,” Xiao Zhan replied and Yibo could literally see him trying not to burst out laughing. He flushed deeply at his own not very subtle admission and lowered his gaze.

Before he could melt in shame, something warm covered his hand, and he looked up, startled, only to find Xiao Zhan leaning towards him and covering his hand with his own.

“You look really lovely tonight,” Xiao Zhan said in such a soft voice, Yibo almost floated away, feeling endeared as all embarrassment vanished instantly, turning into something tender and buzzing. When Xiao Zhan squeezed his hand and made no indication of pulling away, Yibo gave him a soft smile, one of the real ones that was reserved only for very special people.

He suddenly wondered how it would feel like to kiss gege. Were his lips as soft as they looked? Would he cup Yibo’s face or hold his waist? Would he tilt his chin up with a teasing index finger? Would it be soft and sweet or hungry and urgent?

A shiver ran all the way down Yibo’s spine and he bit his bottom lip to keep from sighing out loud.

“Thank you,” he whispered and almost jumped off his chair when gege’s thumb caressed the back of his hand, making the hair at the back of his neck stand on end.

“But you look lovely every day, even with coffee grinds and chocolate powder in your face… Especially then,” gege continued and winked, then after one last squeeze he removed his hand and leaned back, flirtatious smile on his face.

Yibo mourned the loss of skin on skin contact, but at the same time his heart sang and he laughed out loud.

“Gege looks beautiful every day too, even when he’s half asleep and pushing the door instead of pulling it,” he teased, smiling so brightly his cheeks hurt.

Xiao Zhan seemed to choke, then his eyes widened, and he grumbled to himself while readjusting himself in his seat. In the end, he gave Yibo a mock stern glance.

“You noticed that, huh?” he commented and Yibo nodded, a mischievous smile on his face that was soon mirrored by Xiao Zhan across from him.

Their evening continued this way, they chatted easily, flirted and Yibo found out how Xiao Zhan had ended up a business owner at a young age.

“I just didn’t feel like I was getting anywhere. I had visions, you know? And my job wouldn’t let me live them out, didn’t give me the creativity,” he explained animatedly, gaze fixed on Yibo’s attentive face. “So I talked to my best friend and together, we decided to risk it. Took out a loan and established our own company… Well, after a few hard years, it started paying out and now here we are, not regretting a single thing.”

Yibo sighed longingly as he complimented Xiao Zhan on his success, wishing his career path could follow the same way. He was working hard, but sometimes it seemed to be a slow process, and he doubted whether he could really ever gain recognition as a dancer when there were so many others out there. ‘Looser talk’ was what Seungyoun called it and even though Yibo agreed with him, he sometimes couldn’t help but question his choices. It wasn’t always easy, but still, anytime he sat down and thought about what he wanted in life, there was this overwhelming conviction that dancing was the right path for him.

Yibo cleared his throat and froze.

Had he really just spilled all of this to Xiao Zhan? On their first date? He reached for a glass of water to mask how baffled his own actions left him, feeling Xiao Zhan’s eyes on him.

He wasn’t smiling anymore, but his gaze was intense, serious, while he chewed on his bottom lip, seeming lost in contemplation.

Eventually, he leaned forward and rested his forearms on the table.

“I think it’s very important that you know what you want. Without the conviction, it is easy to lose faith and get sidetracked. From what I saw, you definitely have the talent. Questioning yourself is normal though. We're all not perfect. As long as you don't give up. I admire your determination and believe that good things will come if you keep at it."

He smiled encouragingly while Yibo hung onto his every word, not even realizing how his shoulders straightened and he sat a little straighter, feeling verified by Xiao Zhan’s kind words.

“Although, let me think about it again,” Xiao Zhan added and pursed his lips. “Once you’re a famous performer, you wouldn’t have time to work at the café anymore, and what am I supposed to do without my favourite barista, ah?”

He clutched theatrically at his chest and pouted.

Yibo almost spat out his water, Xiao Zhan was so goofy, oh, he had whiplash, but also he was falling, falling so hard, so quickly, it almost gave him vertigo, the tender, fragile spot inside of him that was reserved for Xiao Zhan only grew more solid every moment they spent together.

Overwhelmed by the enormity of his feelings, Yibo reached over and lightly slapped Xiao Zhan’s forearm.

“Selfish, gege!” he accused him and pouted in return.

Xiao Zhan groaned. “Can you not?”

Yibo stilled and cocked his head.

“Not what?”

“Pout.”

“You pouted first!”

“Aiya, I did. But I am allowed. My pout is not as lethal.”

Yibo gave him the glare, and Xiao Zhan started squirming.

“Not that one either, lao Wang! Please have mercy!”

He giggled, and Yibo couldn’t pretend anymore, the corner of his mouth quirking up into an amused smirk.

“Alright, but only because it’s you,” he said and wasn’t even surprised at his own boldness any longer. Somehow, Xiao Zhan brought it out in him.

By now, they were almost the last customers left, and Yibo looked around with a raised eyebrow. During their dinner, he had felt like they were in their own little bubble, but now reality crept back in and he shivered, despite the close heat lamps.

“If you’re up for it, would you like to have a drink before going home?” Xiao Zhan asked and Yibo nodded immediately, without thinking. He’d take every chance he got to spend more time with gege, even if it meant missing the last subway back home. He could always call a cab, even though that would be pricey.

Xiao Zhan insisted on paying for dinner, despite Yibo’s protests, arguing that he had invited him and in the end, Yibo relented, but not before making him promise that the next time they would go out, Yibo would treat him.

“Aiya, you are stubborn,” Xiao Zhan commented again, as they were walking along the river and nudged Yibo playfully with his elbow.

“Am not, it’s just fair,” Yibo defended himself and pouted exaggeratedly until gege huffed out a laugh and gave in.

They ended up in a small pub nestled between a sushi bar and a convenience store, as it seemed quieter than all the previous bars they passed.

Once they entered the slightly stuffy room, it turned out that it was indeed quieter, the music almost drowned out by chatting and laughing customers, but no less crowded.

Before Yibo realized what he was doing, he had taken a hold of Xiao Zhan’s arm, wrapping his fingers around his elbow as to not lose him.

Quickly, his eyes darted to the other man’s face, but Xiao Zhan didn’t seem to mind, judging by the small, pleased smile he sported.

Xiao Zhan walked them to an empty corner table and Yibo gladly slid down the bench, settling against the wall. He wasn’t a fan of crowded places and too many people bumping elbows with him freaked him out. This was exactly what he needed and even though he didn’t complain, Xiao Zhan might have noticed his body language.

“I’m getting us drinks. You protect this table,” he announced and winked. “Any special wishes? Anything you don’t drink?”

Yibo chewed on his bottom lip, head full of buzzing noises and still thinking about the feel of Xiao Zhan’s leather jacket in his grasp.

Eventually, he said, “Just surprise me,” and Xiao Zhan replied with fingerhearts before turning around.

Only when Xiao Zhan had his back to him did he allow himself to giggle helplessly into his hands, feeling like a lovesick teenager and not wanting it any other way.

He observed Xiao Zhan making his way through the crowd confidently, side-stepping other patrons and immediately attracting the attention of the bartender.

Yibo shook his head and snorted. Xiao Zhan probably didn’t even know how he held himself, how he could turn from playful boy next door into authoritative figure within seconds. It was natural, probably something he had learned to do during the last years of running his own business.

He kept admiring him from afar, head tilted and playing absent-mindedly with his ox necklace, distracted by the way Xiao Zhan’s tight jeans made his ass look round and plump. Only the sound of someone clearing his throat loudly next to him made him resurface from his daydream and he flinched when he noticed a man in his comfort zone, having taken the liberty of sitting down next to him.

“You’re alone?” he asked and didn’t even let Yibo answer before pushing a drink in front of him. “For you.” He winked and Yibo almost shook himself, unconsciously moving closer to the wall next to him until he was almost pressed against it.

“No,” he replied and made a dismissive gesture at the man, refusing the drink. “I’m here with my friend. He’s at the bar.”

He pointedly looked at the man and then at the drink.

“Alright, whatever,” the stranger commented and shuffled off the bench, while Yibo let out a breath of relief. He never knew how people reacted to rejection. Some might become violent.

“If you’re keen later, after your friend goes home, call me.”

The man held out a piece of paper, and Yibo eyed it with a displeased frown on his face.

“No, thank you. I’m not interested,” he replied and nodded at the drink. “And you can have that too.”

Despite Yibo’s dismissal, the man didn’t budge, and kept holding the note out to him.

“Just take it,” he insisted and nudged it against Yibo’s shoulder, causing him to swat at the other man’s hand, like it was an increasingly annoying mosquito. Before he could direct his most devastating glare towards the stranger, a loud noise made him jump.

Xiao Zhan had returned, and he wasn’t amused, judging by the way he had smashed the glasses onto the table and was now staring daggers at the annoying intruder, who took a careful step back. Before he could do anything else, Xiao Zhan quickly reached out and pulled the piece of paper out of his hand.

Then he ripped it apart and pushed the pieces against the other man’s chest, from where they fluttered sadly to the floor.

“What about ‘no’ was so hard to understand, ah?” he asked, stepping closer towards the stranger and towering over him. Yibo gulped, feeling frozen on the spot. Xiao Zhan could be scary if he wanted to be. “Now take that,” he nodded towards the glass of alcohol, “and piss off!”

Yibo bit his bottom lip to keep from grinning at the idiot’s stunned and offended face. He obviously wasn’t keen to pick a fight with two men and quickly scrambled, keeping his gaze down and muttering to himself.

“You okay?” Xiao Zhan asked after sliding down onto the bench, leaving only minimal space between them and looking at him intently. “I saw him getting a little agitated…”

Xiao Zhan’s eyes narrowed, and he snorted in disgust before shaking his head.

“I’m fine, thanks,” Yibo replied, feeling more enamored than rattled. Xiao Zhan coming to his rescue was something almost too wild to be true and showed him he cared. He hadn’t even dared to imagine a scene like this! “Don’t worry, ge.”

The frown slipped off Xiao Zhan’s face and was replaced by something softer. “If you say so,” he replied and chuckled darkly. “I gotta say, though, your judgmental face is very impressive. It’s baffling he didn’t read the room.”

Yibo shrugged. “He didn’t want to read the room and I think he was intoxicated too. Thanks for your help. That was kinda…” Yibo trailed off, lowering his lashes and feeling a blush creep up his neck. He almost said hot. “What are those?” he asked, trying to change the topic and pointing at the two lightly pink drinks in front of them.

“Ah, it’s called ‘Pretty in Pink’,” Xiao Zhan explained and handed Yibo a glass. “Reminded me of your jacket. The colour really suits you.”

The compliment made Yibo’s insides flutter delightfully, and he broke out in a huge, genuine gummy smile, holding his glass up and looking Xiao Zhan in the eyes.

“Thank you,” he whispered and watched Xiao Zhan mirror his smile while bringing his own glass up to clink them together.

When they kept holding eye contact, Yibo felt the electricity between them. The air was charged, thick with tension and an invisible bond pulling them closer together, rendering him speechless. His breath stuttered before he took a sip of the pink drink and he choked, coughing into his hand and effectively ruining the moment.

Yibo cursed himself internally, but when Xiao Zhan started petting his back, giggling all the while, he didn’t feel so embarrassed anymore.

They proceeded to talk more about themselves, about their families and upbringings, their friends, their hobbies, and Yibo was pleasantly surprised when it turned out they enjoyed the same things.

“I haven’t been playing tennis in a while,” Yibo said eagerly, “but if you like, we can go together sometime?”

Xiao Zhan nodded enthusiastically, and Yibo felt his knee bumping against him. They had gravitated closer towards one another, and Xiao Zhan had begun reaching out while talking, squeezing his wrist, shoulder, or hand and Yibo encouraged it, leaning into the touch or returning it, feeling all gooey and euphoric.

As dates went, this had been the best he had ever been on! Granted, he only had little experience, but he wasn’t completely a fish out of water here. But Xiao Zhan, ah, Xiao Zhan was such a delight to be around. At some point, the smile had just decided to remain on Yibo’s face for the rest of the night and he was positive his eyes were at least a little heart-shaped.

“I like your hair like this,” Xiao Zhan eventually said, and Yibo’s heart grew a couple of sizes. He was getting drunk on those sweet words and compliments. Xiao Zhan was about to ruin him for anyone else.

“Ah, thank you!” he replied, beaming. “I did nothing with it today.”

“Looks so soft and fluffy,” Xiao Zhan commented, and Yibo noticed his hand twitch.

He suppressed a knowing smirk.

“You can touch,” he said and tilted his head.

Xiao Zhan didn’t need to be told twice and reached out instantly, stroking Yibo’s silky bangs and then … petting him on the head while giggling.

Yibo choked a little on his cocktail straw, so infatuated and floored by how cute Xiao Zhan was. Sure, he was incredibly attractive and hot, but also kind of adorable and quirky. The place in Yibo’s heart where Xiao Zhan already resided, became bigger and bigger.

And not only that, Xiao Zhan just made him feel so comfortable and safe. Yibo hadn’t questioned or doubted himself even once. He knew and felt that there was something growing between them. Xiao Zhan didn’t make a secret of his infatuation and Yibo? Yibo wore his heart on his sleeve, had been unable to contain his budding feelings. Maybe his actions had been louder than his words and Xiao Zhan had seen him. Maybe he had become someone remarkable for him.

He didn’t think it was possible, but his smile grew even brighter as he looked adoringly at his handsome gege.

And handsome gege? He took one look at his face and spilled his drink.

Yibo helped him wipe up the mess with a napkin, somehow delighted that Xiao Zhan’s ears had turned a little red, and he almost reached over to flick them playfully. But he wasn’t that brave yet.

“How far away from here do you live?” Xiao Zhan asked, after he stood up and stretched his back and Yibo’s brain almost short-circuited when his dress-shirt rode up to reveal a glimpse of skin.

“Um… about half an hour with the subway.”

“Ah? I’ll give you a ride,” Xiao Zhan announced and checked the time on his phone.

“No no, you don’t have to, it’s late…” Yibo said immediately, not wanting to be a bother. He was sure Xiao Zhan was tired by now and a detour would inconvenience him.

But Xiao Zhan was adamant, claiming that he would worry if Yibo took the subway at such an ungodly hour.

“It’s just past midnight, ge,” Yibo grumbled. “Not that late.”

“That’s what the young people say,” Xiao Zhan commented with a wink while walking Yibo to where he had left his car.

Yibo frowned when he realized they hadn’t talked about their ages. Somehow, it hadn’t crossed his mind, and he really didn’t care. As long as they got along, age didn’t make a difference to him. But still, he couldn’t deny that he was curious. Everything about gege made him curious, and he wanted to know every little and big detail about him.

“How old are you?” he asked, and Xiao Zhan sighed.

“Old,” he replied mournfully and Yibo elbowed him in the side.

“Liar,” he said. “Can’t be much older than me.”

“And how old are you, lao Wang?”

“22.”

“I turned 30 last October.”

“See?” Yibo replied, a pleased smile on his face. “Not old.”

“I’m glad you think so,” Xiao Zhan said, and if Yibo didn’t know any better, he would have believed there was some genuine relief in his answer.

Xiao Zhan drove a red Audi and Yibo couldn’t help throwing glances towards him while he was driving, one hand confidently on the steering wheel. He almost sighed. That was such a big turn on for him. He gulped and shuffled around on the seat.

Fortunately, Xiao Zhan had switched on some music and couldn’t hear his struggling as he hummed along to the tune.

They talked about their favourite bands and artists and in no time, Xiao Zhan slowed down and parked the car in front of Yibo’s apartment building.

“I’m over there,” Yibo pointed into the darkness. “8^th floor.”

“Ah, wow! Is there a lift?”

“Mn.” Yibo nodded and winced. “It’s working most of the time.”

They laughed a little together, then went silent. Yibo wasn’t sure whether he should invite Xiao Zhan up. He had scoffed at Seungyoun earlier for even suggesting taking it further tonight.

Well, back then, Yibo hadn’t been aware of how well they got along and just clicked.

Still, he was reluctant. The night had already been so perfect. Maybe it was best to end it here. To not rush into things.

Before Yibo could make up his mind, Xiao Zhan undid his seat belt and leaned over.

Yibo held his breath as butterflies fluttered madly in his stomach, skin tingly and feeling expectant.

When Xiao Zhan’s soft lips landed on his cheek, he shivered all over and almost gasped.

The kiss was light and ended as quickly as it started, but it was enough to make Yibo’s insides alight and his skin grow hot.

“I had such a wonderful night, Yibo,” Xiao Zhan whispered close to his ear and Yibo felt his breath against his skin, a small, warm puff of air that made him lose his mind just a little.

“Me too,” he said a little croakily, and cleared his throat. “Thank you… also for driving me home.”

“You’re welcome.”

They looked at each other in the semi-darkness, wide-eyed, happy and infatuated, feeling something precious blossoming between them. Something wonderful and special.

No, Yibo was glad that their first date would end here, and before he knew what he was doing, he reached out to stroke Xiao Zhan’s cheek, feeling his equally hot skin under his thumb and registering him pulling in his breath.

“I’ll see you soon. Drive carefully and let me know when you made it home.”

“Wil do,” Xiao Zhan replied, and he sounded a little breathless. Yibo wondered whether his heart was beating as quickly as his own, trying to escape his chest and whether he felt this pull between them, too. Whether he was also falling.

When Yibo reluctantly slid out of the passenger seat and walked towards the building, he could almost feel Xiao Zhan’s eyes on him, burning into him and the fire that had been simmering in his abdomen all night, took this exact moment to flare up.

Oh, he was so gone.

Chapter Text

Chapter 8

As soon as Yibo closed the door to the apartment behind him, he slumped against the door and slid bonelessly onto the floor, a goofy, almost incredulous smile on his face.

He even pinched his forearm a few times, just to confirm his picture-perfect date with Xiao Zhan hadn’t been an extremely realistic figment of his imagination. But alas, he remained in the here-and-now, feeling full of energy and bursting with love.

Oh, and it wasn’t just the height from their shared time together, Yibo knew he was in love. Had known it for a while, but today confirmed it. What else could this feeling be? This indescribable joy and tenderness, this feeling of suddenly having found a missing piece of himself, of everything suddenly becoming more vibrant when Xiao Zhan was there?

He was so, so, so much in love!

Holding on and cherishing the precious memories they had made today, Yibo floated into the bedroom, where he quickly undressed, all fidgety and finally giving in to the persistent thrum of arousal under his skin.

When he wrapped a hand around his cock, he let out a long sigh. Of course, it would be better if it was Xiao Zhan’s hand instead of Yibo’s own, but he still had his imagination. Recalling gege’s peachy smell and the way his hand had felt, stroking his hair, Yibo began jerking himself fast, throwing his head back into the cushions and spreading his legs. After bucking up into the tight circle of his fist a few times, gege’s low chuckle in his head, he stilled, chewing on his bottom lip.

Tonight… maybe tonight he needed something different.

Having made up his mind, Yibo let go of his hard length and turned to the side to reach the drawer of his nightstand.

From there, he retrieved a half-empty bottle of lube and his favourite vibrator. The one that reached his prostate easily, without Yibo having to twist his wrist uncomfortably.

He poured some lube onto his fingers and warmed it up, hole clenching in anticipation of what was about to come.

Then he went up on his knees and started opening himself up, soon writhing on two fingers, eyes half-lidded and low moans escaping his parted lips.

The feeling of fullness and the slight sting and burn were sensations he had come to enjoy a lot. The vibrator was a poor excuse for how amazing he imagined Xiao Zhan would feel inside of him, but for now, it scratched the itch and Yibo let out a filthy moan when he pushed the toy inside slowly, carefully leaning back into the cushions and changing the angle.

He keened when the tip brushed against his prostate and set all his nerve ends on fire, the feeling even more intense due to the low vibrations massaging his walls and making his cock twitch.

Sometimes, this was enough to make him come.

When Yibo closed his eyes and relaxed, imagining Xiao Zhan on top of him, cradling his face and moving inside of him, he knew he wouldn’t last long at all today and he redoubled his efforts, pushing onto the vibrator and fingering the wet tip of his cock. It only took him three hard pumps, and he was coming with a punched-out gasp, hole constricting around the vibrator and cock pulsing in his grasp, shooting heavily over his abs.

Once he came back to himself, he let out a long sigh and closed his eyes before removing the vibrator and biting his bottom lip, feeling sweaty and tired but fulfilled. For now.

Yibo couldn’t deny that his sexual attraction towards Xiao Zhan had grown a hundredfold within one night. Now that he knew him better and had gotten used to his smile, his touch, his attention, he wanted more.

He wanted all of it.

—

The rest of the weekend was busy, and Yibo could hardly catch a breath. He spontaneously agreed to perform at a wedding celebration and spent all of Sunday morning coming up and practicing a routine. Sunday jobs usually paid best, so it was a no-brainer for him. He could use the extra money to invite Xiao Zhan out next weekend and maybe even pick a fancy restaurant!

With that particular thought on his mind and fueled by Xiao Zhan’s sweet ‘Good morning’ message, he aced the wedding gig. When he came home, he dragged his sore body into the shower, forced himself to eat something and fell into a deep, exhausted sleep.

Early on Monday morning, when Yibo woke up to his alarm, he felt the strain in his legs and back, but even that couldn’t dampen his happiness in the slightest. Yibo limped a little on his way to work and opted for the bus instead of his skateboard, but he would see Xiao Zhan today and that alone made the pain from his hard work the day before seem not so bad anymore.

The moment Xiao Zhan walked through the door and their eyes found one another, it felt like the sun rose for a second time that day. Yibo couldn’t help the silly smile brightening up his previously stoic features and even the fact that the café was currently overrun by early morning clients couldn’t sour his mood.

Xuan Lu was with Xiao Zhan, and Yibo gave her a small, genuine smile, too. Xiao Zhan had talked about his business partner and oldest friend at the weekend, but Yibo didn’t have the chance to introduce himself yet.

Although it was hard, he tore his eyes away from Xiao Zhan and continued making coffees, aware of the current backlog and trying even harder than before to catch up. Sometimes, it couldn’t be helped. He was only one person, and even though he currently had help from Zhang Jingyi, most of the work fell on him.

“How much longer is it gonna be?” a disgruntled and tired looking man in a gray suit asked while pointedly looking at his watch.

Yibo narrowed his eyes at the order screen while frothing milk and reaching for a group handle at the same time.

“You only just ordered, sir. It will be a little longer. Please have patience and apologies for the wait.”

While concentrating on his job, he missed the gentleman rolling his eyes, but he heard him muttering something about ‘those lazy kids these days’ and he bit his bottom lip to keep from snapping at him, trying to swallow his irritation.

Yibo was working as fast as he could without jeopardizing the quality of the product. There was one thing Li Qin had made clear from the beginning–no matter how many orders or under how much pressure they were, they would always ensure they offered the best product possible, even if it took more time. And Yibo agreed with the sentiment.

The other rule Li Qin was adamant about was to be honest with the customers.

When Yibo realized orders were coming in faster than he could handle them, he informed Jackson, so he could notify the customers of a wait before ordering. They might lose a few patrons that way, but at least they avoided angry clients and disruption to the service because of it.

But in some cases, people were getting mad no matter what.

While Yibo was doing five things at the same time, the impatient gentleman had started pacing in front of the machine and sending angry looks their way. Yibo still ignored them for the sake of the other patiently waiting clients. Only a small frown gave away his frustration.

But when Xiao Zhan and Xuan Lu joined the waiting crowd, even that fell away again, and he grinned.

“Sorry for the wait,” he mouthed and watched both Xiao Zhan and Xuan Lu dismiss his apology immediately.

After Yibo handed out an order of six different coffees, the rude businessman stepped up to the counter again, leaning over and tapping onto the polished wood.

“Still not done? What are you even doing there?”

Yibo gulped and forced himself to stand his ground. His body wanted to retreat, but he had a job to do and couldn’t afford to become distracted.

“Please step back, sir. You were informed of a wait before ordering. I’ll have to ask you to wait patiently or cancel your order and request a refund.”

Zhang Jingyi made a noise of approval next to him and nodded, muttering something about how she hated rude and entitled men and how men sucked in general and Yibo bit his bottom lip to keep from snorting as he concentrated on his next order. Another big one.

Instead of accepting Yibo’s explanation, the man huffed and refused to leave.

“Don’t be smart with me, you-”

Someone clearing his throat next to him made him stutter to a halt and Yibo raised his gaze in curiosity, keeping his milk jug in place.

“He asked you to step back and wait. Please listen and don’t make a scene,” Xiao Zhan said and stared down the stranger. “He’s not a machine. And doing a great job, by the way.”

Xiao Zhan stated the last part with a quick wink and grin towards Yibo, who couldn’t help preening internally, all his annoyance immediately forgotten.

If Xiao Zhan had his back and stood up for him, he wouldn’t let the unkind words and the hassling get to him and keep working hard. Oh, how much he adored his gege!

With new motivation and confidence, Yibo got to work, silently pleased that, after Xiao Zhan’s stern words, the man slunk back and kept pacing at a distance, still muttering to himself. Yibo ignored him, especially after Xiao Zhan had taken a stand close to the counter, daring anyone else to come up and disrupt his work.

“A large green tea and a medium latte!” Yibo called out and tensed when the impatient stranger shuffled towards the counter. In the end, he remained professional, because that was his job.

“Be careful with the tea,” Yibo advised and pointed at the cup sleeves. “It’s boil-”

Instead of finishing his sentence, Yibo let out a shocked and surprised cry, when the man, instead of taking his drinks, threw the one with boiling hot water at him. Yibo stumbled backwards, gasping and pulling his burned wrist towards his chest.

The pain attacked him immediately, sharp and agonizing, his arm feeling like it was on fire and he let out a weak whimper, vision getting blurry before someone grabbed him by the shoulders and steered him towards the back. Faintly, he registered outraged shouts and some form of commotion, and then Li Qin’s voice cutting through it right behind his ear, threatening with a lawsuit and mentioning the surveillance cameras.

Yibo didn’t even know how he arrived at the sink, but the water splashing against his arm made him cry out in pain and he flinched, feeling tears running down his cheek and closing his eyes, letting his co-workers take over while he tried to calm down.

It was impossible, though. Yibo had never felt pain like that before, like someone was stabbing his arm with thousands of sharp needles over and over, like someone was slowly peeling off his skin.

“Fuck, those are fucking blisters, oh my god!” he heard Jackson exclaim, followed by Li Qin telling him to shut up and call an ambulance.

“No…no… no ambulance,” Yibo whined and opened his eyes, taking some time to focus through the agony. The running water soothed the burn a little, but as soon as he moved his wrist, he felt the full force of his injury once again and quickly held it under the stream of water once again.

Gritting his teeth, he shook his head. An ambulance wasn't necessary. And this was just a burn. He’d be fine again in a while.

“Aiya, stubborn! No need to play hero!” Li Qin scolded him and set her jaw. “You’ll have to go to the hospital with this. It’s bad, Yibo.”

“Uh….”

Before Yibo could complain again, Zhang Jingyi’s apologetic head popped into the backroom and a figure appeared behind her.

Yibo pulled in a sharp breath of air when he recognized Xiao Zhan.

“Yibo!”

Xiao Zhan rushed past her, ignoring Yu Bin telling him this was for staff only, and stopped in front of him, arms stretched out and hovering.

He winced when his eyes took in Yibo’s burned wrist, the angry red skin, and the blisters around the delicate skin at his pulse point. There was something else in his gaze, something darker, but mostly, Yibo registered the concerned frown.

“I’ll drive you to the hospital. Now,” he said, and Yibo didn’t dare argue. Not when Xiao Zhan looked so out of sorts and worried about him.

So he nodded meekly while wiping at the tears on his cheeks with his uninjured hand.

The look on Xiao Zhan’s face showed he wanted to do more than pet Yibo’s shoulder and was feeling frustrated by his inability to do so and if Yibo wasn’t currently suffering and trying to not burst into tears, he would have squealed.

But alas, he just wanted to not feel like he was burning alive anymore.

When Jackson brought him his bag and Li Qin sent them all back to work, Yibo put on a brave face and pulled his arm away from the soothing water, regretting it immediately.

“Aiya, it’s alright, it’s not far,” Xiao Zhan reassured him, hand on the small of his back and leading him outside.

“Make sure you tell them it was a work accident!” Li Qin called after them, and Xiao Zhan nodded on Yibo’s behalf.

“We will,” he confirmed. “Thank you! And sorry about the blood…”

Yibo frowned in concern and snapped his head towards Xiao Zhan, who was walking in big strides, prompting him to jog a little to keep up, cradling his hurt wrist wrapped in a cool cloth to his chest.

“Blood?” he asked and cleared his throat, only for Xiao Zhan to scoff and laugh a little awkwardly.

“Ah, I might have accidentally broken that asshole’s nose?” he admitted and let out a nervous giggle.

Despite the agony he was in, Yibo made wide, stunned eyes.

“You…? Accidentally?” And he was giggling about it?

“Ah, look, I just snapped. And he deserved it,” Xiao Zhan defended himself, no longer sheepish but looking rather irritated and annoyed. “He’ll regret his actions. Don’t you worry.”

Yibo gulped as an icy shiver ran down his spine. He believed Xiao Zhan. And was relieved to be on his good side. Xiao Zhan didn’t appear as if he wanted to elaborate on the incident and Yibo wisely shut up.

Once they were in the car, a car Yibo remembered very well from the weekend, Xiao Zhan reached over to help him with the seatbelt and once again, if Yibo wasn’t completely occupied with not whining and crying, trying to bear the pain that still consistently thrummed under his skin, he would have appreciated Xiao Zhan’s hair brushing against his jaw and the hands-on treatment.

A part of him was sad he couldn’t properly enjoy it.

“How bad is the pain?” Xiao Zhan asked and gave him a worried look before pulling into traffic, eyes immediately snapping back to the road and cursing under his breath over a red light.

“It’s… okay,” Yibo replied, with tears in his eyes and sniffled.

The flat stare Xiao Zhan gave him made him squirm immediately and he felt silly for pretending.

“It’s fucking awful,” he corrected himself, unsure how else to describe it.

“We’re almost there,” Xiao Zhan reassured him and reached over to squeeze Yibo’s knee. “Fuck, I wish I could do more!”

“You’re already driving me to hospital, ge! There’s not much more you can do,” Yibo pressed out, the pain threatening to overwhelm him, and he closed his eyes, trying to will himself to take calm breaths.

“Yibo? You okay?”

“Mn,” Yibo murmured faintly. He wanted to fall asleep or even pass into unconsciousness. Now that the last fragments of panic, surprise and the adrenaline had worn off, there was only pain. Yibo didn’t even want to look at the injury. The glimpse he had earlier was enough for him.

Xiao Zhan might have sped the last of the way. Yibo wasn’t completely sure as he kept his eyes shut, but they arrived at the hospital earlier than expected.

When they stepped into the emergency room, the receptionist took their details and asked them to take a seat. While Yibo shuffled off to look for a free spot, he could curl up in, Xiao Zhan didn’t move.

“How long will the wait be? He’s in pain.”

Yibo tugged weakly on Xiao Zhan’s sleeve, not wanting to be a nuisance, but Xiao Zhan only grabbed his hand and squeezed.

The receptionist gave them an understanding smile. “It won’t be long, I assure you.”

“Ge,” Yibo whispered and pulled Xiao Zhan along. “They’re busy too.”

In the end, Xiao Zhan deflated a little and followed him to a corner seat.

While Yibo sat down and closed his eyes again, trying not to fidget around too much and deal with it, Xiao Zhan kept pacing, until Yibo groaned, causing him to still.

“You’re making me nervous,” he admitted and pouted, eyes half-closed and shivering. He had forgotten his jacket at work and was starting to feel affected by the cold the longer he stayed motionless. It might distract him from the pain a little though, he mused and yelped as soon as something was draped over his shoulders and Xiao Zhan sat down next to him, pulling him against his side.

“Sorry,” he muttered against Yibo’s hair. “I’ll keep still. Is this better? I didn’t realize you were freezing.”

With a sigh and a small nod, Yibo melted against Xiao Zhan’s shoulder. Like this, he would bear the wait and not complain. He could endure it until a doctor saw him and hopefully pumped him full of antibiotics and painkillers.

“Arm feeling any worse?” Xiao Zhan asked in a whisper, lips brushing his hair and Yibo hummed in response, then willed himself to speak. “Same,” he admitted. “Hurts.”

Xiao Zhan’s arm around Yibo’s shoulders tightened, and they sat like that, offering and taking comfort, until Yibo’s name was called out.

“Do you want me to come with you?” Xiao Zhan asked and Yibo nodded gratefully, the thought of having Xiao Zhan by his side to explain and offer silent support, sounding much more attractive than going in alone.

It turned out that Yibo had suffered second and first-degree burns on his forearm and wrist. They were worse on his pulse point and because of the skin there being so thin, more severe. The doctor urged Yibo to not pop the blisters and handed Xiao Zhan a prescription for painkillers, antibiotics, and ointments to request from their closest pharmacy.

There was an awkward moment where the doctor addressed Xiao Zhan as Yibo’s partner, but neither of them corrected him and Yibo’s heart swelled in response.

He tried listening attentively to instructions and even registered a few of them but most went straight over his head, as he became acutely aware of Xiao Zhan standing next to where he was sitting, one hand on his shoulder and nodding along to the doctor’s words.

Well, he was acting like Yibo’s boyfriend. It was easily misunderstood.

“And do you have any more questions?” the doctor asked, piercing him with his straightforward gaze.

Yibo flinched a little, not having expected to be addressed, after Xiao Zhan had taken over most of the conversation.

“Um, I’m a dancer…”

“Absolutely not,” the doctor and Xiao Zhan said at the same time, then looked at each other owlishly.

“Right,” the doctor repeated, asserting his position and puffing out his chest, while Xiao Zhan shuffled around on the spot, averting his gaze and ears a little red.

“No strenuous exercises and no work for the rest of the week. If it gets better, you won’t have to come in again, but if you notice the pain is not receding or getting worse or the injury reddens further, come see us. You might deal with an infection.”

Then he addressed Xiao Zhan again. “If you’re getting concerned, bring him in immediately. Make sure he only goes back to exercising and work when he has recovered.”

Yibo narrowed his eyes at the doctor, feeling offended. He wasn’t a child who needed a minder, thank you?

But Xiao Zhan only straightened his back and nodded diligently.

Yibo wanted to kick him.

Chapter Text

Chapter 9

After Yibo’s arm was bandaged and the doctor gave him antibiotics and painkillers for the way home, Xiao Zhan insisted on stopping by the pharmacy.

“Don’t be silly,” he scolded Yibo, when he worried Xiao Zhan would miss work because of him. “I am the boss, after all. I can take time off and Lulu has everything under control.”

While they were waiting for Yibo’s medicine to be prepared, Xiao Zhan browsed the shelves, hands in his jeans pockets. He had bullied Yibo into wearing his coat and assured him he overheated easily and Yibo, who was still feeling chilly, had accepted easily, feeling a certain way with Xiao Zhan’s scent enveloping him and keeping him warm. The antibiotics had fortunately started working and reduced the pain to a simmer. Still there and pulsing under his tender skin, but not all-encompassing anymore.

“Go pick something while we wait,” Xiao Zhan eventually offered and nodded towards a display wall of several healthy lollies and candies for children, prompting Yibo to cock his head at him.

Did Xiao Zhan want to treat him? The thought amused him a little, and he cleared his throat, hiding a silly grin. It was kind of sweet.

The red tinge to Xiao Zhan’s ears was even sweeter and when he kept stuttering and explaining that it was something his nanna used to do when they went out together and that Yibo didn’t have to pick anything, it was fine, he wasn’t a child after all, made him feel even more endeared.

“I’d like the ginger gummy bears, ge,” he said, a smile in his voice. “I remember them from when I was a kid. Thank you!”

Despite the simmering pain, the small smile stayed on Yibo’s face, all the way back to the car and back to his apartment building. It occurred to him that maybe he wasn’t the only one prone to overthinking. Maybe they had both been in the same boat all along, and Yibo wasn’t the only one pining and wishing. Maybe he wasn’t the only one with a crush.

When Xiao Zhan parked the car and undid his seatbelt, Yibo took a deep breath. Seungyoun was home, so he wouldn’t be alone right now, but saying goodbye to Xiao Zhan left him a little cranky. He had assured him he was fine, true, but Yibo was feeling a little fragile right now and had enjoyed his company and support.

Before he could say a word, Xiao Zhan had already jumped out of the car and was by his side, opening the passenger door.

Yibo blinked.

How did he get there so quickly?

Somehow his brain felt slow and sluggish, like his thoughts squeezed themselves through thick jelly.

Xiao Zhan’s giggles reached his ears only a little later.

“The antibiotics are kicking in, I see. You probably didn’t have proper breakfast this morning, ah?”

“Mn.”

Well, he was right. Yibo had a coffee and half a cinnamon scroll from the day before. As soon as he got up, a wave of dizziness washed over him and Xiao Zhan grabbed him deftly around the waist, steering him towards home.

Opening the front door took him longer than usual and he was acutely aware of Xiao Zhan’s arm around him, shivering a little with it.

“You’re coming up?” Yibo asked, and Xiao Zhan nodded, as if it wasn’t a big deal. And really, it wasn’t, Yibo told himself when they stepped out of the elevator, walking towards his apartment.

It was just his crush, walking into his home for the first time. If Yibo didn’t feel slightly numb and high from his medication, he would have freaked out a lot more, but the only thing he felt was a hint of worry. Hopefully, Seungyoun hadn’t made a mess!

His roommate was lounging on the couch, eating out of a take away container and watching a soap opera when Yibo let himself in, Xiao Zhan in tow. Seungyoun didn’t look at them and only raised a curious eyebrow.

“Why are you home so early?” he asked, curious but not curious enough to turn his gaze away from what looked like a very tense moment in the show he was watching.

Xiao Zhan hovered in the doorway behind Yibo, taking in the apartment and nudging Yibo forward, when he stood rooted on the spot.

“Where should I put this?” Xiao Zhan asked, holding up his bag and Seungyoun yelped, before scrambling around and sneaking a look over the back of the couch, eyes wide. He yelped even louder when he took in Yibo’s bandaged arm.

“What happened to you? Who is this?”

Yibo rolled his eyes and pointed towards the empty kitchen counter.

“I’m Xiao Zhan, nice to meet you,” Xiao Zhan said casually, already on his way to put away Yibo’s medicine.

“Ooooh…”

Seungyoun’s eyes were wide as saucers as he blatantly checked Xiao Zhan out until Yibo cleared his throat and glared.

Eventually, Seungyoun got the message.

“I’m Seungyoun. Hello,” he replied in a small voice and scratched his head, eyes darting between Yibo, who was now sweating a little and Xiao Zhan, who was squinting at the list of instructions.

“He’s very handsome!” Seungyoun whispered after sidling up to Yibo and elbowing him in the side, a shit-eating grin on his face.

Yibo shushed him immediately and moved, hitting him with his injured arm and whimpering. Bad choice. He cradled his hurt wrist to his chest and closed his eyes, waiting for the sting to ease.

“What did you do?” Seungyoun asked at the same time Xiao Zhan stepped closer and started rubbing Yibo’s back in comfort.

“Some asshole threw a cup of boiling hot water at him and got him good,” he explained while Yibo was still busy grinding his teeth and fighting off the pain.

“Oh, yikes! Did they get him on camera at least?”

Seungyoun petted Yibo’s shoulder, looking rather shocked at hearing about such a violent attack, and Xiao Zhan hummed in confirmation.

“Yeah, they did.”

With a start, Yibo remembered that if there was footage of the incident, Xiao Zhan would have been caught on tape too, attacking the culprit. He gulped, pain pushed to the back of his mind as he fretted about what consequences it had for his gege.

Xiao Zhan must have noticed his panicked look as he squeezed the nape of Yibo’s neck and took him by the elbow of his uninjured arm. “Don’t worry, there won’t be any repercussions from what I did.”

“You sure?” Yibo asked, not convinced, even though Xiao Zhan seemed very unbothered.

“Yup, please don’t think about it anymore.”

“If you say so…”

Seungyoun had followed the conversation, confusion written plainly across his features, and he opened his mouth. But a well-placed kick to his shin shut him up and Yibo sent him a glare that he hoped Seungyoun understood as “later, now shut up.”

Wisely, Seungyoun swallowed down his questions and chewed on his bottom lip instead.

“Where’s your room? You should rest,” Xiao Zhan asked gently and pulled Yibo's attention away from his nosy roommate.

He nodded towards one of the doors, feeling a giddy type of nervous about Xiao Zhan in his bedroom. At least it was tidy.

Yibo walked inside and accepted Xiao Zhan’s help to take off his coat, then sat down on the edge of his bed, hit by a sudden wave of exhaustion as the events of the day caught up with him.

“Uh, do you want me to get Seungyoun to help you change?” Xiao Zhan asked and chuckled awkwardly while looking for a place to put his coat.

“I’ll be alright,” Yibo replied and with difficulty, he heaved himself up again and padded towards his wardrobe. What he really wanted now was to put on his comfort onesie, but he wasn’t sure how Xiao Zhan would react, so he decided on comfortable sweatpants and a loose pink shirt.

“Do you want a tea? I’ll make you a tea, alright?” Xiao Zhan asked, already on his way out and Yibo nodded weakly, popping open the button of his jeans carefully, trying to not put too much strain on his injured arm.

Xiao Zhan flew out of the room. He really was keen to make that cup of tea! Yibo smiled to himself, feeling like he was close to drifting off despite the early hour.

When Xiao Zhan returned, Yibo was already in bed, propped up by pillows and eyelids drooping precariously. But he forced himself to stay awake and drink the hot lemon and ginger tea gege had made for him.

“That was the only one I found in your pantry. I hope it’s alright?” he asked and placed the mug on Yibo’s bedside table. Then he sat down at the edge of the bed and Yibo’s heart fluttered in drowsy delight as Xiao Zhan gazed down at him, a soft smile ghosting over his lips.

“Thanks,” Yibo said. “That’s perfect.”

“How’s the pain?”

“Bearable now.”

“I’m glad. Remember to take your medicine when you wake up, ah? I left the instructions out and updated Seungyoun as well. And eat something!”

“Mn. Okay, Doctor Xiao,” Yibo replied, smiling faintly, too tired to do more than that, even though he wanted to. Wanted to beam up at Xiao Zhan and hold his hand and have him talk to Yibo while he drifted off to sleep.

Xiao Zhan huffed in amusement and picked up the steaming hot mug. “Don’t be smart with me, lao Wang! You know, my parents always wanted me to become a doctor. But I had other ideas. Here, have some.”

Instead of handing Yibo the mug, Xiao Zhan kept holding on to it, probably worried Yibo might drop it and slosh hot liquid over himself for the second time that day. The reluctance was very valid, Yibo told himself as he automatically reached for the mug, covering Xiao Zhan’s hand with his fingers and shivering all over at the skin-on-skin contact. Oh, he definitely would have dropped his drink!

It felt like the best tea he had ever had and Xiao Zhan’s careful administrations warmed him from the inside, making him feel utterly safe, snug and cared for.

“Thank you,” Yibo muttered, after sinking back into the pillows and tugging the blanket up to his chin, making sure he didn’t use his injured arm.

“No need to thank me,” was Xiao Zhan’s response, and he reached out to brush Yibo’s bangs off his forehead, the action sweet and tender and Yibo almost purred like a fat, lazy house cat.

“Sleep now. I’ll check in on you later.”

As soon as Xiao Zhan had closed the door behind himself, Yibo’s eyes closed, and he fell into a deep, exhausted sleep.

—

When Yibo woke up in the late afternoon, it was to a burning, stinging wrist and he hissed through his teeth, rubbing at his eyes and throwing off the blanket. A look at his bedside table made him freeze and he let out a surprised “oh” at seeing a water bottle, his meds and a cute lion plushie. There was a note too, and Yibo picked it up, his fingers trembling.

Yibo,

You were still asleep when I came, and I didn’t want to wake you up. I’ve prepared all your antibiotics and left some meals in your fridge for the next days so you don’t have to worry about anything and can continue to recuperate.

P.S.: The lion is for emotional support! I hope you like him!

Xiao Zhan

Yibo sniffled and wiped at the tears in his eyes while picking up the fluffy lion and pressing him close to his chest, breathing him in and feeling raw and emotional, and most of all, in love.

What did he do to deserve someone as kind and caring as Xiao Zhan in his life? Yibo made sure the plushie was sitting neatly in his bed, before getting up, stretching, regretting it and holding his arm still, swallowing his medicine, and tiptoeing into the living area.

“You’re awake!”

Seungyoun jumped off the couch, PS5 controller sliding onto the floor, and rushed towards the kitchen, indicating for Yibo to follow.

“Your loverboy was here earlier,” he explained and opened the fridge, revealing several stacked containers and fresh fruit. “He cooked for you, Yibo!”

He gestured dramatically, while Yibo cleared his throat, still choked up from earlier and trying to wrap his head around the fact that Xiao Zhan had gone the extra mile to make him feel comfortable and cared for.

“That’s… don’t call him that!” Yibo chided his friend and stepped closer to examine the food Xiao Zhan had made for him. “He shouldn’t have,” he muttered and picked up something that looked like fried rice with chicken and greens, overwhelmed by a rush of sweet gratitude and tenderness. Once again, his eyes misted over and he swallowed down the lump in his throat. Xiao Zhan was too good to be true!

And as he was standing in front of the fridge, Yibo realized that he was a little hungry.

Seungyoun only cackled knowingly and nudged him. More carefully than he normally would.

“That man is so, so gone for you. He was so concerned. And the fact he punched that guy? Wow, I kind of want one too!”

“That…” Yibo spluttered, blatantly ignoring Seungyoun’s first statement and switching on the microwave. “He told you? About what he did?”

“Well… I was curious…”

Seungyoun’s eyes shifted to the side, and he fiddled with the strings of his jumper, avoiding Yibo’s glare.

“You were digging.”

“Maybe?”

Yibo sighed.

“I hope he won’t get in trouble for it,” he voiced his concerns and chewed on his bottom lip.

“He won’t,” Seungyoun assured him. “If the guy presses charges, then he has to confront what he did to you. First. He won’t say a single thing.”

“Oh…Right.”

Yibo hadn’t even thought of it earlier when his mind was feeling a little groggy, but now it dawned on him and he grinned, feeling some relief wash over him. Xiao Zhan wouldn’t get arrested or sued. He would be alright!

After Yibo had dinner, a slightly awkward shower and was back in bed, wearing his comfort cow onesie, he took a picture of the lion plush next to the ginger bears he was snacking on and sent the picture to Xiao Zhan, thanking him profusely for what he did for him and praising his cooking skills.

Xiao Zhan seemed very pleased with his reaction and urged Yibo to rest some more and take care. He would be in touch again tomorrow, and with that thought in mind, Yibo fell asleep quickly and deeply, once again.

In the morning, after Yibo had just sat down on their dining table, the doorbell rang.

“Do you expect someone?” Seungyoun asked as he made some awful instant coffee for the both of them, prompting Yibo to shrug and walk to the door. A look through the peephole made him gasp, and he turned around, panicked eyes focusing on Seungyoun.

“It’s Xiao Zhan!” he voiced and grimaced, very aware of the cow onesie he was currently wearing.

“Well, don’t you want to let him in?” Seungyoun whispered back, grinning like a demon, and Yibo rolled his eyes before taking another peek.

Xiao Zhan was still waiting, but there was a little frown on his face now as he stared at the closed door.

And..

Oh.

Yibo’s stomach lurched when he realized what Xiao Zhan was carrying. Coffees, a bag and… a bouquet of flowers.

He swallowed down his embarrassment and just before Xiao Zhan could turn away, he ripped the door open.

“Hi,” he said, sounding a little breathless and pushing back the hood of his onesie.

“It’s me,” he said, redundantly and faintly heard Seungyoun snort into his horrible instant brew.

“I…” Xiao Zhan stuttered, taking him in and looking rather stunned. Yibo’s heart sank a little.

“Oh my god! You are… You are… absolutely SQUISHABLE!” Xiao Zhan exclaimed and started giggling, before pushing the flowers towards Yibo, a sparkle in his bright eyes.

“Thank… Thank you,” Yibo replied and lowered his gaze demurely, fully aware of the pink hue on his cheeks and letting out a quick sigh of relief. “Please come in.”

“How are you feeling?” Xiao Zhan asked while emptying his bag and pushing a take-away coffee towards a grateful Seungyoun who was leaving for work.

“Mn, a bit knocked out,” Yibo admitted and took a sip of his coffee, watching Seungyoun close the door behind himself and wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. Yibo chose to ignore him. “Arm feels tighter today, more tender.”

He winced after lifting his bandaged arm and showing Xiao Zhan, who looked like he had tasted something very unpleasant.

“Take it easy for the week, ah?”

Yibo nodded obediently. He knew he would be more of a reliability than any help at work, and dancing was out of the question for a while. The thought left him gloomy but also a little worried. He could use his savings to pay for rent and the essentials, but if he was still unable to earn money after next week, he would be in trouble.

With a pang of regret, he realized he wouldn’t be able to invite Xiao Zhan out to a nice restaurant at the weekend and he deflated a little. There went his grand plans.

“Hey, it’ll be alright, ah?” Xiao Zhan said, an encouraging smile on his face. He probably thought Yibo was annoyed at being stuck at home and, well, he was. But that was something he could deal with.

With a sigh and a tired smile at his wonderful gege, Yibo tried cheering up. He would just have to heal faster! At least he was getting more offers now and the opportunity to pick and choose where he wanted to perform.

Huang Bo always said he should concentrate on the little successes, no matter how small, and not dwell on his failures and Yibo tried taking his words to heart. He would do the same with gege’s words.

“Thank you for the breakfast, ge,” Yibo replied and grinned, chewing on a piece of croissant and enjoying his coffee. This was much better than the instant one Seungyoun had made earlier!

And the flowers were gorgeous too. Pink, fragrant and delicate and looking wonderful on the dining table.

Really, Yibo had lucked out in life, hadn’t he? Sure, he was injured and worried about money. But that was only temporary. He believed his hard work would pay off eventually. He was doing what he loved, after all, and wasn’t that already a privilege?

And then there was Xiao Zhan. Sitting across from him, hair under a white cute beanie that almost made him look like he had bunny ears and smiling brightly at him.

When their eyes locked, Yibo almost forgot how to breathe and a shiver ran down his spine, while his heart began thumping heavily in his chest.

It still hit him, just like that, leaving him breathless and in awe.

In awe that this beautiful man liked him, cared for him, maybe, probably wanted more. And Yibo would return everything Xiao Zhan had shown him so far. He remembered and cherished every attentive gesture and promised himself that he would do everything for Xiao Zhan.

Even though Xiao Zhan didn’t know it yet, he already held Yibo’s heart.

Chapter Text

Chapter 10

“How are you feeling today?” Xiao Zhan asked, puttering around in the background. It was Friday evening, and he was preparing dinner for himself while having Yibo on speaker phone.

“Better. It’s itchy,” Yibo admitted and rolled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling and resisting the urge to jump up and run around in circles. After five days of staying home, doing nothing strenuous, and occupying himself by watching movies, thinking about Xiao Zhan, watching dance battles and thinking about Xiao Zhan some more, he felt like a caged animal.

Yibo needed to be active, or he would wilt, like a flower not getting enough water and sunlight.

He let out a dramatic sigh, prompting Xiao Zhan to chuckle good-naturedly.

“Ah, lao Wang,” he mused. “If it’s itchy, it means it’s healing. Have you been using the ointment?”

“Mn, have.”

“You’ve been a good boy.”

Yibo snorted, rolling his eyes, even though Xiao Zhan couldn’t see it.

“This good boy is losing his mind,” he lamented and reached carefully for the lion plushie, pushing him close to his face and hiding a small pout in his fur.

“Ah, Yibao, we can’t have that now, can we?”

Even though he couldn’t see him, Yibo knew that Xiao Zhan was smiling. The fondness in his voice was unmistakable, and it made him feel all warm and fuzzy inside as all annoyances melted away, leaving him staring into space with a goofy grin.

“I know you said you wanted to invite me out for dinner next, but how about we go for a walk tomorrow morning? I know this really nice park.”

Yibo perked up immediately, almost rolling around too quickly and hissing through his teeth when he bumped his wrist against his bedside table.

“What are you doing?” Xiao Zhan asked, alarmed tone in his voice and Yibo cackled helplessly.

“Sorry, I got excited,” he said. “That would be great. I could bring my skateb-”

“A WALK, LAO WANG! Something harmless and relaxed, please. No stunts yet!”

Xiao Zhan sounded amused but stern and Yibo sulked some more, not really feeling it but playing it up for fun. He would do anything to spend time with gege and a walk sounded really nice, especially since the weather was getting better.

“Okay, okay, we’re walking.”

“Carefully.”

“I’ll try.”

Xiao Zhan giggled at his serious tone, and Yibo heard a faint meow in the background.

“Is that your roommate?” he asked and smiled softly to himself. Xiao Zhan had sent him pictures and videos of Jianguo, but he still hadn’t met the princess. Maybe Xiao Zhan would invite him over soon.

His heart started racing at the thought.

Xiao Zhan had been over a few times this week, but mostly, Seungyoun was around. And it wasn’t a big place. Xiao Zhan, on the other hand, lived alone. They would have privacy.

Yibo glared darkly at his crotch, willing himself to not pop a boner right now. Not while talking to Xiao Zhan on the phone!

“Yup,” Xiao Zhan replied and the faint noise of purring told Yibo that Jianguo was probably getting head scratches right now.

He imagined it was him instead. Xiao Zhan seemed to be exceptionally fond of petting his head and stroking his hair. Yibo imagined him pulling instead, and he almost groaned, adjusting his posture and ignoring what was currently going on in his underwear.

“I’ll pick you up at 9am, is that okay?” Xiao Zhan asked, oblivious to Yibo’s inner struggle.

“Sounds good to me,” Yibo said, voice a little strained. 

After Xiao Zhan wished him a good night, Yibo shoved his uninjured hand into his sweats and dealt with a very pressing issue.

—

Yibo was outside, pacing back and forth on the sidewalk before Xiao Zhan arrived, unable to stay cooped up inside any longer than needed. His wrist was still feeling tender, but had improved, and he didn’t have to deal with infections or complications. In a few days, he would continue teaching classes and start work again, much to his relief. Dancing practice was still a while off, but he could tone it down and start slowly to not get out of shape.

Yibo was hopeful again and when he spotted Xiao Zhan’s car, his heart jumped with happiness.

“Were you waiting long?” Xiao Zhan asked, after parking and turning off the ignition.

Yibo had already made himself comfortable in the passenger seat and he fastened the seat belt, flushing a little when he remembered Xiao Zhan helping him the last time.

“Not long, and I came down early,” Yibo admitted, vibrating out of his skin with anticipation.

Xiao Zhan chuckled in amusement. “So excited to see me?” he asked teasingly and winked. Even though Yibo had been subjected to Xiao Zhan’s playful side, it still took his breath away and he must have stared for a few seconds, until Xiao Zhan pointed at his arm.

“Better?”

“Mn,” Yibo replied and tugged on his newly wrapped bandage. He would stop wearing it soon, but today, while he was out, he thought it might be better to be extra careful.

“Want me to fix this for you?” Xiao Zhan asked, eyes on his clumsy job, and Yibo nodded sheepishly, biting his bottom lip.

When Xiao Zhan leaned over and went to work, unwrapping the bandage and tightening it slightly, then using the clip to affix it, Yibo had all the time in the world to take him in.

Xiao Zhan was wearing his glasses today; his hair wasn’t styled and the blue hoodie he wore over a white shirt made him look really cute. Yibo loved Xiao Zhan’s duality. And what he loved even more was the way Xiao Zhan held on to his elbow and had his hands all over his arm. Yibo went almost limp and gooey in his grasp, pouting when it was over way too quickly.

When they were walking around the lake in the park, sipping on coffees and enjoying the crisp spring air, the smell of blossoming flowers and the songs of birds, Yibo felt like he was in a fairytale. He imagined himself reaching out to take Xiao Zhan’s hand in his and his face flushed at the thought.

His hand twitched but before he could talk himself up, Xiao Zhan let out a squeak and pointed towards a tree on their right.

“Ah?”

Yibo cocked his head and squinted into the distance.

“There’s a squirrel! Can you see?”

Xiao Zhan’s delight and his bright, round eyes were taking up most of Yibo’s attention, but he saw the little squirrel running up a tree and hiding in between the leaves.

“Oh no, it’s gone,” Xiao Zhan lamented and looked infinitely cute, pouting after the bushy tail.

Xiao Zhan was taller than him, but at this moment, Yibo wanted to put him in his pocket.

“I’m sure we’ll see more,” Yibo said, and grinned. “Can you sing? Might attract them!”

Xiao Zhan snorted. “Who do you think I am? A Disney prince? I should have brought my camera…”
Yibo almost nodded. If there was one person coming close to a real life Disney prince, it was definitely gege. But the camera statement made him perk up.

“You like photography?” he asked, and Xiao Zhan nodded distractedly, squinting up into the canopy.

“It’s very fulfilling. I enjoy capturing beauty and like to look at my surroundings closely. Nature, animals, people….”

And oh, Yibo got it.

“Yeah,” he agreed softly. “You’re more aware of what’s around you and you find beauty in mundane things…”

Xiao Zhan cocked his head at him. “Exactly,” he said, and maybe he looked at Yibo a little closer, like he had done after he had watched him dance at the mall. Like he saw things in him.

“It helps you wind down. Take a break. And realize that everything is lovely.”

The way Xiao Zhan said it, it touched something deep within Yibo’s soul and he blinked away the sudden wetness in the corners of his eyes. How come Xiao Zhan understood him so completely? They only just met, but it turned out that they shared a lot of views and Xiao Zhan had such a way with words, he could express what Yibo struggled with.

It wasn’t only the talking, though. Xiao Zhan listened to him, and he thought about the things he said. Yibo was so incredibly fond of the other man, it almost hurt.

“I was always interested in black and white photography. There’s some calmness about it. I’m really digging the vibes,” Yibo explained, gesturing animatedly with his hands. He didn’t have any proper equipment, but his phone was fine so far. And maybe one day he could invest in a fancy camera of his own!

“Oh, right!” Xiao Zhan agreed and smiled brightly while adjusting his glasses. “I should lend you my Leica some time. I have a monochrome version. You’d enjoy it!”

Yibo beamed happily at him and thanked Xiao Zhan for his offer. Maybe he’d take him up on it. Maybe they could go on a photography adventure together! Oh, there were so many things he wanted to do and experience with Xiao Zhan! His imaginary bucket list grew longer and longer by the hour.

When Yibo lowered his gaze, a soft smile still playing across his lips, a low buzzing sound approached and he jumped, making an embarrassed high-pitched noise when a fat bug landed on his sleeve, trying to shake it off.

Xiao Zhan tensed up next to him, but as soon as he realized what exactly Yibo was fighting with, he giggled, stepped closer, took Yibo’s uninjured wrist and flipped the winged intruder off.

While Yibo was fighting his embarrassment, Xiao Zhan nudged him playfully with his elbow.

“I’ll protect you from insects,” he declared valiantly, and Yibo had to snort at his knightly stance. Xiao Zhan was such a goof!

Then he realized… Xiao Zhan was holding his wrist! Maybe now he could take his hand? Would that be a good time? But unfortunately, he missed his chance, as Xiao Zhan kept on moving and Yibo fell into step beside him. They were close now. Closer than before and occasionally bumping arms or elbows. Yibo was going a little mad.

As they continued walking and chatting, the sun warmed them and Xiao Zhan took off his hoodie while Yibo rolled up the sleeves of his checkered shirt. Soon, they walked past an ice-cream van, one of the first Yibo had seen this season, and he stopped in his tracks, eyeing the queue.

Now this was his chance to treat Xiao Zhan! It wasn’t as good as a restaurant but still a way to return his gege’s kindness. He definitely should have enough money, and when Xiao Zhan excused himself to take a call, Yibo quickly counted the coins in his wallet, beaming when he found out that he could treat him to not only one but even two scoops!

“Gege,” Yibo exclaimed once Xiao Zhan had finished his phone call. “I’ll buy you ice cream, pick whatever you want!”

He tugged Xiao Zhan closer to the van, standing in line with a huge grin on his face.

“Two you say?” Xiao Zhan asked with a raised eyebrow and examined the different flavours. “Wow, so hard to choose!”

He made a bit of a show and Yibo indulged him, happy that Xiao Zhan indulged him in return and took him up on his offer.

“Thanks, lao Wang,” Xiao Zhan said earnestly, ice cream cone in his hand and eyes very gentle.

They decided to sit on a bench overlooking the lake while they ate and enjoyed the beautiful spring weather a little longer. Xiao Zhan didn’t have plans until later that day and Yibo had nothing on until the next day when he would continue teaching.

He was licking his ice cream happily, enjoying the warm rays of sunshine on his face, when he noticed Xiao Zhan’s eyes on him.

Gege was staring and when Yibo saw his ice cream melting and running over his fingers, he snorted.

“Eat your ice cream, ge!” he urged him, one eyebrow raised in amusement, and he noticed the exact moment Xiao Zhan snapped out of whatever daydream he had been in.

With an awkward chuckle, he continued eating and Yibo wondered what had Xiao Zhan so distracted as he wrapped his mouth around the cone. Maybe he wanted to try his ice cream?

Usually he wouldn’t share with anyone, but gege was the exception. Before he could offer, though, Xiao Zhan let out a deep, content sigh and joked about having to exercise even harder now.

“Do you exercise regularly?” Yibo asked, even though he was almost sure of the answer.

“Mn,” Xiao Zhan said and nodded towards the lake. “I go jogging around the lake if I have time, or use the local gym. Sometimes I exercise at home, if I really can’t get away. I try to do at least half an hour every day.”

Yeah, I can see that, Yibo thought as he proceeded to tell Xiao Zhan about his own exercise regime, wondering how big Xiao Zhan’s place was if he had space for a home gym. Yibo knew he lived in a house, not an apartment, and he was dying to see what Xiao Zhan’s home looked like.

As they kept on walking, Yibo noticed his injured wrist getting a little sore. After resting and minimal movement, it shouldn’t have surprised him and he kept holding it still and close to his body.

But Xiao Zhan, perceptive as ever, took note of his changed body language.

“Everything okay?” he asked and came to a halt in the middle of the footpath.

Yibo grimaced and held his wrist. “Bit sore. Maybe it’s all the movement.”

“Mn,” Xiao Zhan commented, chewing on his bottom lip. “You’ll have to hold it still.”

Without another word, he bridged the distance between them and took Yibo’s hand, almost causing him to yelp and jump out of his shoes.

“Like this?” Xiao Zhan asked and intertwined their fingers.

Yibo shivered in response, unable to form words just yet.

“Is that better?” Xiao Zhan asked tentatively, voice soft and Yibo nodded so hard, his head was in danger of falling off. If there was one thing he didn’t want Xiao Zhan to think it was that this was not welcome.

Because it was everything Yibo wanted, everything he’d dreamed of and the million butterflies currently fluttering around in his stomach, trying to break out of his rib cage, were answer enough.

He knew, of course, that it was some flimsy excuse on Xiao Zhan’s part and the idea of Xiao Zhan wanting to hold his hand as badly as Yibo wanted to hold his made the butterflies flutter even harder.

They kept walking, fingers intertwined between them, and now Yibo’s whole arm felt tingly. The itch and soreness weren’t that bad anymore, not when Xiao Zhan was holding his hand.

Instead of words that still wouldn’t come, Yibo squeezed lightly, and Xiao Zhan reacted with a content hum.

They were both a little tongue-tied, but it was fine. Sometimes words weren’t necessary.

Sometimes you just had to enjoy the moment together.

Yibo felt like he was soaring.

Their beautiful day was over way too fast and Xiao Zhan drove Yibo back home just before lunchtime. This time, he leaned over and hugged Yibo close, hand on his back and chin on his shoulder.

Yibo returned the sweet gesture, his uninjured arm coming around to stroke Xiao Zhan’s back and his skin feeling like it was on fire, especially where Xiao Zhan touched him.

“We’ll talk later? If you’re not too busy,” Yibo asked, hoping he didn’t sound too clingy. But he didn’t want to part right now and needed at least something to look forward to.

Xiao Zhan hummed his confirmation and let go of Yibo, leaning back, but smiling so brightly, his eyes turned into crescent moons.

Yibo lost his breath a little.

“I’ll be out with friends tonight, but if I’m not home too late, I’ll call you.”

“Mn. Call me either way.”

“Okay. See you soon, Yibo. And thank you for the ice cream.”

“You’re welcome. Thanks for making my morning.”

—

When Yibo was back home, he screamed a little into his pillow and stared at his hand, trying to remember the exact feel of Xiao Zhan’s fingers enveloping his own.

Wondering whether he could invite the other man out next week, Yibo went through his savings, sighing deeply.

After all the excitement of the day, the sad amount in his bank account made him deflate a little and feel down.

Xiao Zhan was so successful. Money didn’t seem an issue for him, and he had his life under control. And here was Yibo, a poor barista and dancer who tried but was far from successful.

He sat on the couch, chewing his bottom lip, suddenly overcome by the urge to cry. How did that happen? He was so happy, but his brain decided to put a stop to it and ask questions. Questions that made him doubt himself.

When Seungyoun came home a little later, Yibo hadn’t moved and was still thinking dark thoughts.

“What’s up with you? Trouble with loverboy?” his friend asked and plopped down next to him.

Yibo grunted and shrugged, unsure of how to express himself properly. He desperately needed to get some good advice here because, at the moment, he wasn’t very kind to himself. The realization made him swallow, and he sighed, turning towards Seungyoun.

“I don’t know if I’m the right person for Xiao Zhan. If I’m good enough for him.”

He winced at those harsh words, feeling anxiety tighten itself into a knot in his guts.

“Eh?” Seungyoun asked unhelpfully and gave Yibo a lost stare. “Come again?”

“I’m poor. I’ve done nothing remarkable. I hardly keep my life together and live basically from paycheck to paycheck. And then there’s Xiao Zhan, successful, business owner, house owner…”

“Are you stupid?”

Yibo stuttered to a halt and even forgot to feel sorry for himself. Instead, he glared at his roommate.

“Excuse me?”

“No, seriously,” Seungyoun doubled down. “I didn’t expect you to be that shallow, Yibo.”

Yibo gasped, feeling offended by his friend’s blunt words. But next to the confusion, there was something else. Shame. Shame at going there and questioning his own worth. And not only that.

“How often did Xiao Zhan bring up money?” Seungyoun asked and pierced Yibo with an intense gaze that made him squirm.

“Um, he hasn’t talked about money. Ever,” he admitted and scratched his head sheepishly.

“So what makes you think it’s important to him? It never was important to you. You’re not poor, Yibo. And you’re doing what you love, you have a dream and you’re pursuing it. While staying true to yourself. Stubbornly, I want to add.”

Yibo hummed, contemplating his friend’s words. And Seungyoun didn’t seem to be done yet.

“Xiao Zhan should feel lucky to have you, Yibo. But you know, by the way he fusses over you and the way he looks at you with those dreamy eyes… I wouldn’t be worried. He’s totally into you. Don’t talk yourself down like that.”

Yibo let his head hang, shame and relief both battling it out in his chest. He knew his worries were unfounded and a case of overthinking. He felt especially bad about not trusting Xiao Zhan’s feelings. Gege didn’t care how Yibo’s paycheck looked like. He cared about him as a person. Had made it more than clear during the past weeks. Yibo was not doing right by doubting his sincerity as well as his own worth.

“You’re right,” he finally admitted. “Thanks. For talking sense to me.”

He took a deep breath. “I really, really like him so much. It’s … I just don’t want to mess it up and I want to be someone he could… he could also fall in love with.”

Yibo blushed furiously after having admitted his feelings to his best friends, ears burning and cheeks hot.

But Seungyoun didn’t make fun of him or judge him. He would never. Seungyoun was a joker but also one of the most loyal and supportive people Yibo had ever met. He was grateful for their friendship and Seungyoun’s honesty. Even though it wasn’t pretty, he didn’t tell him what he wanted to hear, but what he truly thought.

“Good, let’s just pretend that didn’t happen,” Seungyoun stated and cackled gleefully. “Also, if you wanted some advice to take your relationship to the next level. Use your assets. Dance for him.”

At first, Yibo wanted to brush it off, but then an idea took root in his head. Xiao Zhan had been very impressed by his performance and that wasn’t even the best version Yibo could be. Maybe… maybe he should.

The mental image of Xiao Zhan with his eyes on Yibo only was enough to excuse himself unsuspiciously to his bedroom.

Chapter Text

Chapter 11

Yibo returned to work in the middle of the following week, no longer wearing a bandage, and even though his skin was still tender, the itchiness was mostly gone. He left the heavy lifting to Jackson and Zhang Jingyi, but apart from that, he was able to perform his job without a hitch and a huge weight lifted off his shoulders.

For those first days, Xiao Zhan didn’t come in and Yibo felt a stab of disappointment despite knowing that gege was busy with a particularly demanding and picky client, causing his team and him to work extra hours. Yibo understood. But he was still mopey and couldn’t hide it.

“What’s up? Trouble in paradise?”

Yibo gave Jackson a flat stare and kept grumbling to himself while frothing milk for a cappuccino, eyes on his jar. He was extra cautious around the hot water now and whenever he handed over a tea or something boiling, he quickly took a step back, annoyed at the hint of panic he felt but unable to do anything against it. With time, hopefully, everything would go back to normal.

“Everything’s great,” Yibo replied. He had already given Jackson a summary of the last weeks and his relationship with Xiao Zhan and had listened, with red ears, about Xiao Zhan jumping the rude customer who hurt Yibo and punching him in the face. Yibo was convinced Jackson embellished the story a little–there was no chance Xiao Zhan would have screamed about “breaking his kneecaps if he ever looked in Yibo’s direction ever again” but he humoured his friend and didn’t question his adventurous retelling.

He knew that Li Qin had given Xiao Zhan free coffee for a week after the incident and wasn’t quite sure what to make of it. Surely, his boss didn’t approve of violence! But a part of him was also very pleased that Xiao Zhan had stood up for him. That him getting hurt had caused such a strong reaction… Yibo’s knees went a little weak, and he handed over the finished coffee.

“Xiao Zhan is too busy to come over,” he explained and sulked a little, before Jackson nudged him, a cheeky smile on his face.

“Well, if he can’t come here, then you’ll have to go to him!”

“I…what?”

In his confusion, Yibo dropped the chocolate shaker and spilled powder all over the counter. He sheepishly wiped it off, hoping Li Qin didn’t see. His boss had been happy to have him back, but was worried he might have taken on too much too soon. Yibo was determined to prove her wrong and dropping stuff wasn’t a great look for him right now.

“Well, you’re on your lunch break soon and he’s just across the road. Surprise him.”

Jackson wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and cackled. “He probably won’t mind a little office romancing.”

Yibo spluttered in response, cheeks heating up but an idea formed in his mind.

Jackson wasn’t wrong. Maybe Yibo should surprise him. Gege was busy, but he was still human and needed to eat.

When it was time for his break, he quickly made a large latte with an extra shot and picked a few savoury and sweet pastries from the cabinet, using his staff discount to pay and rushing across the street.

The tall building seemed daunting and made Yibo feel very small as he walked into the entrance hall. It would be wonderful to surprise Xiao Zhan, but if he was denied entry, he would have to call him.

Yibo gulped and lined up, hoping for good fortune.

“I have a lunch delivery for Xiao Zhan from Lotus Designs and Advertising,” he told the bored-looking man at reception and was waved through without a further look. Yibo was so surprised, he stood rooted to the spot for a few seconds before moving along, walking a little faster just in case the clerk changed his mind and wanted to see an order number or something.

But no calls came, and he was safe!

Yibo knew the studio was on the 8^th floor and prayed that everything else would be signed properly. He was pretty good at navigating and finding his way no matter where he was, but currently Yibo felt like a fish out of water and he couldn’t shake off the nervousness swirling in his guts.

Lotus Designs and Advertising was easy enough to find and with a beating heart, Yibo stepped up to the reception desk, where a lady with bright red lipstick eyed him suspiciously over her narrow glasses.

“How can I help you?” she asked, and Yibo cleared his throat before resting the coffee cup on the counter, then showed her the plastic bag he was carrying.

“I bring lunch for Xiao Zhan,” he explained and stood a little straighter. The lady looked him up and down with a frown on her face, but Yibo told himself he wouldn’t feel intimidated.

“Laoban hasn’t ordered anything. I would know,” she said, and her frown deepened.

Yibo’s heart sank. He was so close to surprise his gege and didn’t want to call him to get rescued, but it seemed like there was no other way.

“Can you please contact him and tell him Wang Yibo is here?” he asked, worrying that gege’s coffee would get cold. He had made it extra hot, just in case, but hadn’t accounted for obstacles in his way.

The secretary seemed reluctant to act, and Yibo’s heart sank even further. Would he have to slink back down, denied entrance? Before he could reach for his phone to give Xiao Zhan a call, a door opened, and he heard a surprised noise.

Yibo’s eyes widened when he recognized Xuan Lu, wearing a form fitting jumpsuit, a scarf and carrying a container with what looked like music boxes.

The woman took him in quickly, and without an explanation, she seemed to realize what was going on.

“Come in!” she encouraged him and Yibo grabbed his coffee, rushing past a now very curious secretary.

Several cubicles and desks lined the big room, with doors leading to separate offices. It was bigger than Yibo had expected, with more staff than Yibo had expected and his eyes widened, impressed and feeling a little intimidated after all. He followed Xuan Lu, ignoring the few curious looks thrown his way.

“I’m sorry for barging in here,” he apologized after Xuan Lu stopped in front of a light wooden door without a window.

Xuan Lu waved him off in response. “Don’t worry, it’s all good. He’ll be happy to see you, and he really does need a break. I’m Xuan Lu, by the way. Even though you probably know by now.”

“Mn,” Yibo replied, feeling a little tongue-tied. “Wang Yibo,” he introduced himself officially and nodded, trying for a smile. He didn’t want to scare Xuan Lu off with his resting bitch face, even though it was his default expression. But she didn’t know him and could take it the wrong way.

“Apologies for the phone number situation,” Xuan Lu whispered, prompting Yibo’s ears to redden slightly as he remembered that particular mess and he cleared his throat, before telling her it was okay, he forgave her and she didn’t have any bad intentions.

“Well, I’m glad that’s out of the way! Have fun!”

Xuan Lu smiled, knocked loudly on the door, but didn’t wait for a response before pushing down the handle and shoving Yibo inside, then closing the door behind him.

“Uh,” Yibo said and shuffled around on the spot. “Hi.”

Xiao Zhan was sitting behind his very messy desk, hair sticking up this and that way from where he had probably run his hands through it several times. His glasses sat low on his nose and he looked like he hadn’t gotten a good night’s sleep in a few days, based on the dark circles under his eyes.

At first, he seemed stunned by seeing Yibo in his office, but soon enough, he blinked, took off his glasses, rubbed at his tired eyes and looked up again, a smile blossoming on his face and causing the butterflies in Yibo’s stomach to flutter madly.

“Hi,” Xiao Zhan said back.

Yibo returned his smile and took a few tentative steps forward, looking around and becoming familiar with Xiao Zhan’s workspace.

Several shelves and display cabinets lined the walls. Books, various projects, trophies and picture frames took up the majority of it. The room seemed very welcoming and not sterile at all, as Yibo would have expected from an office. No, Xiao Zhan’s place definitely had character. It made Yibo like him even more!

When Xiao Zhan stood up, groaning and stretching, Yibo pulled in a sharp breath of air.

Oh.

Oh.

Gege hadn’t shaved, and his chin and upper lip were covered in dark stubble. Yibo loved it more than he should, becoming fully aware of how smooth he was himself and wondering how gege’s scratchy jaw would feel against his skin. Wondering whether gege had a lot of body hair and whether he shaved. With increasingly warm cheeks and a dangerous pull in his lower regions, Yibo tucked the thought away. For later.

“I brought you lunch,” he said and cleared his throat, forcing himself to get his mind out of the gutter.

“Ah, Yibo…Please have a seat,” Xiao Zhan offered and pointed at the couch in the corner in front of a small table and next to a very comfortable-looking armchair. While Yibo busied himself with putting his cup down and taking the pastries out of the bags, Xiao Zhan was talking silently on the phone. Yibo wasn’t actively listening in but he did catch him asking to not be disturbed for at least half an hour.

It pleased him to no end, and he enjoyed the warm, tender feeling it evoked within him. He was important enough for Xiao Zhan to take time off his busy schedule!

“Thank you! You’re a saviour, you know that?” Xiao Zhan exclaimed once he plopped down next to Yibo. Helplessly infatuated, Yibo immediately took note that he didn’t pick the armchair but chose to cozy up with him instead.

“God, I needed a proper coffee so bad,” Xiao Zhan lamented and took a long sip, eyes closed and making Yibo grin. He loved the man’s theatrics!

“And food,” Yibo said firmly and nudged a pork bun towards Xiao Zhan. “Don’t forget to eat. You need to take care of yourself.”

Xiao Zhan sighed, shoulders drooping a little and Yibo fiercely wanted to hold him close and tell him it was going to be alright.

“I have a terrible habit, Lao Wang,” Xiao Zhan explained in a grave voice, and pouted for effect. Yibo narrowed his eyes at him.

“Be serious,” he said and nudged him with his elbow, then encouraged him to eat his food by pushing the bun in his hand.

“I am! Ah, thank you! Yes, I’ll eat, don’t worry!”

He took a big bite, eyes on Yibo, as to appease him, but the only thing it achieved was Yibo wondering what else Xiao Zhan could fit in his mouth and he spilled a little bit of coffee over the table.

“I tend to overwork,” Xiao Zhan said after swallowing his food. “It has gotten a lot better during the last months. I have been actively working towards a better balance for a while and I think I’m almost there. Only sometimes… you know, old habits are hard to kill.”

He scratched his head and grimaced, but Yibo nodded fiercely. He understood. And he was proud of Xiao Zhan for realizing how unhealthy his lifestyle was and changing it for the better.

“You’ll get there,” he said and patted his hand in support. “I’ll remind you to eat and drink and sleep.”

He pouted up at Xiao Zhan, who almost spat out his coffee and gave him the side eyes.

“Wang Yibo, what have I told you about that face, ah? Stop looking like a kicked puppy! Now I feel guilty.”

Yibo cackled, feeling accomplished. “If it makes you slow down, then I’ll use it as a secret weapon!”

“Not so secret anymore now.”

“It’ll still work.”

Xiao Zhan raised his eyebrows. “Confident now, are we?” he muttered, but continued eating under Yibo’s watchful eyes.

Almost too soon, their break came to an end and Yibo had to be on his way to continue his shift. They stood up at the same time, and Xiao Zhan’s brow furrowed when he looked back at his desk.

“Thank you Yibo, really,” he said sincerely and caught Yibo’s gaze, the intensity of it making him shiver a little.

“You’re welcome,” Yibo replied, squared his shoulders, and went on his tippy toes to press a quick, smacking kiss on Xiao Zhan’s cheek, too quick to feel the stubble, but quick enough to make his heart race.

When he leaned back, feeling all floaty and a little proud of himself for taking the initiative, he got caught in a big embrace and almost yelped.

“Thank you,” Xiao Zhan repeated into his hair and Yibo shivered again, legs almost going weak and wrapping his arms around Xiao Zhan’s slim waist, feeling the other man’s hands around his shoulders, and telling himself to just breathe.

“And you’re really welcome,” Yibo replied once again. “I’ll make sure you don’t work too hard. I promise.”

He meant for it to come across as a joke, but his voice was too soft and serious and revealed his true intentions. Yibo was going to watch out for Xiao Zhan. Just like Xiao Zhan did for him. Had done for him during the last week and a bit.

Xiao Zhan looked a little touched by his admission and his eyes went very soft as he held Yibo by his shoulders, thumbs running little circle into the fabric of his jumper. Yibo wasn’t sure whether Xiao Zhan was even aware of what he was doing, but he enjoyed it nonetheless, feeling incredibly hot all over while his blood pumped loudly in his ears.

“You’re wonderful, Yibo,” Xiao Zhan said, and his voice sounded deep and gentle. Yibo almost whimpered, but turned it into some kind of grunt. What was Xiao Zhan doing to him? He had never made noises like that before. It was a little embarrassing!

“Come anytime you’re on your lunch break,” Xiao Zhan continued, a smile in his voice. “And I don’t just say that because I get beautiful coffee and pastries out of it.”

He winked and Yibo’s heart skipped a beat at being so, so close to his gege, soaking up every form of affection, every kind word and gesture. All of it filled him up with love, confidence, and happiness. He was brimming with it and if he almost skipped out of the office, feeling the need to break out into song, that was only valid after what just happened!

The secretary from earlier gave him a tentative smile, which Yibo gracefully returned. She’d know now to be nicer to him and he wouldn’t hold it against her, especially after Xiao Zhan had told him how under the pump they all were.

No, Yibo had a lot of love to give, and he wasn’t holding back.

And Yibo did what Xiao Zhan had encouraged him to do. Every lunch break, he headed over and spent a precious half hour with his gege, sharing lunch, which was either pastries, fried rice or bagels, which they both were very fond of and Yibo was still able to make his favourite customer a coffee!

Xiao Zhan and his team were continuously caught up in a big project, but as the days passed, Xiao Zhan became more and more confident and even claimed that Yibo coming to make him sit down and not think about work for a little had helped him focus better and he came up with more useful ideas.

Yibo believed his gege was just humouring him, but it still felt good to be appreciated like that and to feel he was making someone’s life just a little better and easier.

When Yibo exited the elevator on a gray and rainy day, holding Xiao Zhan’s latte close to his chest and carrying a plastic back of assorted dumplings and two cupcakes, he heard someone cackling behind him.

Not thinking it had anything to do with him, Yibo kept on walking to the office, until he heard a muttered but still unmistakable “Oh, look, his boytoy is here again,” coming from behind. Yibo almost stumbled over his own feet as his heart skipped a beat. What the hell?

He turned around, glaring, but the corridor was empty. He snorted softly to himself. Cowards. He straightened up again, not wanting to let this get to him, even though he felt a little upset and hurt. Was this his reputation in Xiao Zhan’s studio? His face fell and his chest tightened at the idea. What did they think their boss was doing on his lunch break?

“Don’t listen to him. He’s jealous. Very ugly.”

Xuan Lu’s voice, coming from next to him, almost made Yibo jump.

“I apologize on his behalf,” she continued, but Yibo shook his head.

“No need,” he replied. “It’s not your fault.”

He was still broody when he entered Xiao Zhan’s office and didn’t even realize Xuan Lu had followed him and closed the door until Xiao Zhan squinted at him.

“What’s the matter?” he asked, and Yibo scolded himself for not hiding his annoyance. He shrugged, not wanting to bother Xiao Zhan, but apparently Xuan Lu had no reservations.

“Cheng Xin called him ‘your boytoy’ behind his back and Yibo heard it,” she stated and prompted Yibo to look at her reproachfully.

“We don’t tolerate bullying and spreading lies in our office,” she continued with an apologetic smile. “I had to mention it.”

While Xuan Lu was talking, Xiao Zhan had walked back to his desk and picked up his phone, eyes hard and lips pressed into a thin line.

Yibo squirmed a little on the spot. He had never seen Xiao Zhan this angry! It was quite scary.

“Ah, Yingyue?” Xiao Zhan said. “Please ask Cheng Xin into my office at 2pm today. Yes, I am aware. No, I don’t care. 2pm.”

His voice was firm and demanding, leaving no room for argument, and when he put his phone down, there was a very displeased frown on his face.

With a sigh, Xuan Lu petted Yibo’s shoulder and excused herself, closing the door silently behind her.

Now that Yibo was alone with a fuming Xiao Zhan, he stood a little timidly, unsure how to deal with him.

He was so caught up in his head he didn’t even realize that Xiao Zhan had stepped up to him and took his bag.

“Sit down, Yibo,” he said in a gentle voice, and took him by the elbow. “That smells so nice, wow! I’m really hungry today!”

Yibo swallowed and arranged their food on the table, relieved that Xiao Zhan’s anger wasn’t directed at him. But his happy act was obviously put on. For his sake. Yibo almost groaned.

“Ge, are you okay?” he asked, after Xiao Zhan sat down beside him and picked up his chopsticks.

Xiao Zhan stilled, then sighed and put them down again before taking off his glasses and rubbing at his eyes.

“I’m frustrated, Yibo,” he admitted, eyes on him and reaching out to squeeze his hand in his lap. “And ashamed. Angry. My staff should do better. Respect you. We encourage a healthy work environment and try to lead by good example. This shouldn’t have happened. I’m sorry.”

Yibo’s heart went out to his gege, and he squeezed his hand back, feeling very touched but also like Xiao Zhan was being too hard on himself by taking too much of the blame. Just like Xuan Lu earlier.

“I understand that you’re angry,” he said. “But it’s not your fault. You’re not their teacher or… or parent. Everyone working here is a grown-up and they should know better. Maybe that guy is just an asshole.”

Yibo shrugged when Xiao Zhan snorted.

“So direct, Lao Wang!”

Yibo shrugged again and picked up a dumpling, a small pout on his face. “He deserved it. None of his business what we do in your office…” He blushed furiously. “I m… mean not… not that we’re doing anything that we shouldn’t…. like…”

Yibo stopped talking, feeling his whole face heat up. He must look like a pathetic tomato, scrambling for words and stuttering. To distract from his embarrassing mishap, he stuffed his cheeks with more dumplings, ignoring the giggles coming from Xiao Zhan’s side.

“I agree, none of his business what the boss and his personal barista are doing on their lunch break!” he quipped, and left Yibo gaping.

“That’s what I am to you? Your personal barista?”

He squinted at Xiao Zhan, who looked like the devil incarnate, grinning smugly and chewing on his food, then quickly grabbed his coffee and hid it behind his back, feeling in much safer territory again.

“Lao Wang, what is this?” Xiao Zhan exclaimed and made grabby hands. “Do you want me to suffer?”

Yibo chose to ignore him.

“Your personal barista is on a break. No coffee.”
“Lao Wang!”

“Lao Xiao!”

“Lao Wang!”

“Lao Xiao!”

There was an urgent knock on the door and Xuan Lu popped her head in, looking at them out of narrowed eyes.

“You know,” she whispered, “if you don’t want certain rumours to pick up steam, you should behave now and turn it down because it sounds extremely incriminating!”

Chapter Text

Chapter 12

“There’s a coffee van outside, giving away free samples. Just thought I’d let you know,” Xiao Zhan told Li Qin, who was setting up Easter decorations in front of the counter.

“What on earth? That’s not allowed!” Li Qin exclaimed and huffed, looking mortally offended as she reached for a broom, straightened her back and marched purposefully out of the café. Zhang Jingyi quickly followed and returned shortly after, shaking her head in amusement and placing the broom back where it belonged.

“I was wondering why we seemed quieter than normal today,” she mused and took Xiao Zhan’s order while Jackson stood around doing nothing.

“Snitch,” he muttered and earned himself a Yibo-shaped elbow to the side while Xiao Zhan gasped.

“Excuse me? I’m doing you a favor!” he defended himself and pouted exaggeratedly. “This is not how you treat your regulars!”

Jackson squirmed under Yibo’s glare and expectant face.

“What?” he asked. “I was enjoying myself! It’s quiet, we can chill…”

Yibo glared some more until Jackson gave in and sighed in mock outrage.

“Fine!” he said and faced Xiao Zhan, who had one eyebrow cocked at him. “Thank you, Lao Xiao, for informing us of illegal activities and ensuring we’re not losing money.”

“You’re welcome!” Xiao Zhan replied cheerfully and winked at Yibo, who dropped the glare and beamed up at him.

“You better be nice to him,” Zhang Jingyi scolded Jackson and cackled like an evil mastermind. “Or he’ll punch you. I still sometimes think about the incident when I’m feeling down. Always cheers me up!”

Xiao Zhan coughed delicately in response.

“I’m not a thug,” he said and threw up his hands in an innocent and defensive gesture that fooled absolutely no one. “It was just the heat of the moment, you know?”

Yibo snorted at his gege’s antics and drew a little foam heart with a dot next to it on his latte. They weren’t busy and he could take time with his latte art.

“I know what you’re doing,” Xiao Zhan commented fondly after picking up his drink and using the lid Yibo had just prepared for him. Doodling on Xiao Zhan’s coffee lids or writing sweet messages had become a habit, and Yibo wouldn’t even think of dropping it. Xiao Zhan still seemed to enjoy it and that was all that mattered in the end.

He grinned sheepishly in return and lowered his gaze shyly. Of course, Xiao Zhan knew. But being called out on it made him feel a little light-headed.

“That’s a cute piggy as well, aw,” Xiao Zhan commented on his drawing, and Yibo frowned.

“That’s a lion,” he deadpanned and pouted until Xiao Zhan started giggling and asked for a pen.

Yibo handed it over, watching him curiously and feeling Jackson breathing down his neck. No sense of personal space, that one!

“Oooh, wow, that’s so good!” Jackson exclaimed as Xiao Zhan doodled a little lion and a little bunny on the coffee lid, next to Yibo’s… well, he had to grudgingly admit that it did indeed look like a pig.

Only when Xiao Zhan added a little dot under the bunny’s mouth and another one under the lion’s eyebrow, did Yibo fully understand and an incredibly fond smile spread across his features.

“Aw, is that us?” he asked and cooed at the cute chibi characters while Jackson stepped away, pretending to gag.

They both ignored him.

When Yibo went home that day, skating down the road and feeling the wind in his face, he couldn’t stop smiling. In fact, his cheeks were starting to hurt, and he almost wanted to whoop and scream.

His relationship with Xiao Zhan was blossoming, and his dancing career was finally taking off too.

Yibo had been noticed at the mall. Huang Bo was almost crying with excitement as he sent Yibo a list of offers, which was two-sided! Something Yibo had never dealt with, and he took his time examining all offers carefully, asking his teacher, as well as Seungyoun and even Xiao Zhan, for advice.

Next to gigs at festivals and bigger events, a minor TV program had taken notice and offered him a position as a background dancer.

Yibo was brimming with excitement that night when he talked to Xiao Zhan on the phone.

“Oh, wow!” his gege exclaimed and there was genuine awe in his voice. Yibo bit his bottom lip to keep from squealing and hugged the already well-used and loved lion plushie against his hot cheek.

“You’re gonna be a TV star, ah? Don’t forget me when you’re famous,” Xiao Zhan joked and giggled to himself, before shouting and prompting Yibo to sit up straight.

“You’re okay?” Yibo asked, but Xiao Zhan's voice returned only a moment later.

“I’m fine! Just got too excited and dropped my knife. Congratulations, Yibo! I’m really so, so proud of you!”

Yibo preened and grimaced at the same time.

“Thank you!” he said. “Please be careful with the knife! What are you doing?”

“Chopping onions. For dinner. You should come over soon. What do you think?”

Yibo paused, trying to temper down his excitement and the heat rushing through his veins. “I’d love that,” he said softly, already buzzing with it.

But first, he had another plan.

“I wanted to invite you out this Saturday first, if you’re free.”

He licked his suddenly dry lips, waiting with bated breath for Xiao Zhan’s response. Based on the absence of background noise, Xiao Zhan had stopped preparing dinner for now and Yibo wondered what he was thinking.

“Always free for you,” Xiao Zhan replied and Yibo could feel the warmth in his voice over the phone line. Maybe he clutched his smartphone closer to his ear, fingers sweaty and heart so full of affection.

“What’s your plan?”

“Well,” Yibo continued ominously and suppressed a smile. “Nothing fancy. Just a nice dinner and then I have a surprise for you.”

“Sounds pretty fancy to me,” Xiao Zhan replied. “Yes, I can’t wait! Do you want me to pick you up?”

“Yeah, that would be great.”

“It’s a date then!”

—

Alas, the weekend was still a few days away and the next morning when Xiao Zhan entered the café and spotted Yibo, the same moment Yibo spotted him, both their eyes lit up.

They kept sneaking looks at each other while Xiao Zhan was lining up and Yibo repressed the urge to fiddle with his hair. For some reason, he was feeling extra shy and aware of himself this morning.

Maybe the looming Saturday and the surprise he had planned for Xiao Zhan, which was constantly in the back of his mind, were making him extra nervous. Yibo couldn’t wait to see how Xiao Zhan reacted, and he was positive that he would love it, but still. He had also put himself under pressure to make this Saturday perfect. And additionally, keeping a secret from the one he loved, when he wanted to tell him everything, was harder than he had imagined!

Funny enough, though, Yibo wasn’t the only one who seemed unnaturally flustered this day, he mused, when Xiao Zhan almost ran into a giant Easter bunny statue, stumbled, and blushed furiously.

Yibo bit his bottom lip to keep from laughing, but still winked at his flushing gege when he stepped up to the counter, looking guilty as charged.

“We won’t comment on that, ah?” he asked and scratched his head, while Yibo finally couldn’t hold it in any longer and started cackling behind his coffee machine.

“Aiya, Lao Wang, why are you like that?” Xiao Zhan lamented and looked up at the heavens for guidance. Or, in this case, at the café ceiling.

“Sorry, ge. That was funny,” Yibo excused himself and smiled cheekily, previous shyness forgotten and now feeling rather daring.

“Did the sight of me make your knees go weak?” he asked and cackled at his own silly joke while Xiao Zhan choked.

“You don’t know how close you are to the truth,” he muttered, and now Yibo was the one almost losing his footing.

“Ha!” Xiao Zhan exclaimed when he almost fumbled his milk jar and Yibo sent him a betrayed look. Complete with the puppy eyes.

Before Yibo could say another word, Li Qin cleared her throat behind him and he straightened his back, going back to work immediately and sharing a small, guilty look with Xiao Zhan, who took maybe a half step back from the counter and fiddled with his white beanie. The one that made him look like a bunny. The one Yibo was most fond of.

“Sorry for distracting Yibo,” Xiao Zhan apologized and tried to appear like a well-behaved young man, smiling pleasantly at Li Qin, who rolled her eyes and huffed in amusement.

“You distract him just by existing,” she commented offhandedly while walking back and Yibo’s mouth fell open, ears immediately turning a vivid shade of red.

How dare Li Qin call him out like that!

“Hey,” Xiao Zhan whispered conspiratorially after Yibo had handed him his latte and tiptoed closer to the counter again. They were alone now. Li Qin had vanished and Yibo just called out his latest coffee, having a little time to breathe before the next orders would appear on his screen.

“Mn?”

He narrowed his eyes at his gege, still not fully recovered from Li Qin’s statement, and wondering what Xiao Zhan was up to now. Judging by the playful smile on his face, it was something silly.

“Lean over, there’s something…”

Yibo did as told, wondering if he had coffee grinds on his nose again, but the moment they got close, Xiao Zhan darted forward and placed a kiss on Yibo’s cheek.

Then he let out a cute giggle and ran away, leaving Yibo standing there, befuddled, one hand halfway to his cheek and feeling utterly endeared, a slow, infinitely soft smile ghosting over his lips and he huffed to himself, shaking his head, eyes still on the door.

“Earth to Yibo!”

Jackson waved in front of his face until Yibo got back with the plot and pushed him away to get ready for the next lattes and cappuccinos.

“You’re really too sweet now. I’m having a sugar overdose!” Jackson complained and stepped into Yibo’s comfort zone.

“Sooo… any progress in the bedroom department yet, huh?”

Yibo sighed, willed down his blush and stared Jackson down until he took a step back.

“Why is everyone asking me? It’s not all about sex.”

“No, but it’s important. Aren’t you keen?”

Yibo frowned. “Of course I am! How could I not? Have you seen him?”

“Point taken.”

Yibo snorted. “Look, he’s hot, but it’s not just his looks I’m attracted to. He’s kind, funny and quirky and I want to be around him. Spend time with him. Any kind of time.”

“Oh damn,” Jackson commented, one eyebrow raised. “You’re falling hard, huh?”

Yibo kept his mouth shut, not telling him he was already down badly.

“I want to take it slow. And I think he agrees. It’s too important for both of us to rush into things.”

“Well, I’m wishing you all the best! Oh, and Yibo?”

“Mn?”

“I want to be invited to the wedding!”

—

On Saturday, Yibo picked out both of his outfits carefully, anticipation and jittery energy making him unable to sit still. He kept buzzing around the apartment until Seungyoun screamed and banned him to his room, where Yibo spent some time on his make-up and hair.

Carefully, he applied eyeliner and eyeshadow, until he achieved a low-key smokey eye effect and, happy with that, he used shiny lip gloss that made his lips look even plumper than they already were.

In the end, he used some hairspray and product to make his hair fluff up and look a little messy.

He had told Xiao Zhan to dress “a little fancy but not too much” and ended up helping him pick a fit for the night. If he hadn’t interfered, Xiao Zhan would have turned up in a snazzy suit that probably cost more than Yibo’s apartment.

Gege wasn’t flaunting his wealth, but after he had offered to lend Yibo his camera, Yibo had gone online to look up Leicas and almost fell off his chair when he saw the prices. He would be too scared of accidentally breaking one of those!

So, yes, he knew gege was wealthy. But he also knew that gege wasn’t money-driven or shallow and that kept him from overthinking again. He’d been there and done that and didn’t want to listen to another of Seungyoun’s speeches.

“Dress shirts are okay, gege,” he had told him over the phone. “Jeans as well. But not with holes in it and no sneakers.”

“Aiya, Lao Wang, just send me the instructions!” Xiao Zhan had exclaimed and made them both laugh.

Yibo picked black jeans, a dark red dress shirt and shiny black shoes for himself. He had one good pair he used for special occasions only, and tonight was definitely very special.

When he was done, and had Seungyoun’s blessings, he shouldered his backpack, took a deep breath and walked out the door, then downstairs, where Xiao Zhan was already waiting.

“Gege!” Yibo exclaimed as soon as he stepped out of the apartment building, hiding his hot face in his hands. “You shouldn’t have!”

“Aiya, indulge me, okay? Here… oh wow!”

Xiao Zhan stopped in his tracks and almost dropped the heart-shaped box of chocolate pralines and red roses he was carrying when Yibo revealed his face to him.

His mouth hung open almost comically, and a light flush covered his cheeks.

Yibo almost fainted! Yes, he had dressed to impress, but gege’s reaction was even better than he had hoped for.

Eventually, Xiao Zhan shook his head, uttering a small ‘wow’ once again, not even hiding his elevator eyes when they roamed over Yibo’s lean figure, stopping at his face and focusing on his eyes, then going lower again and zoning in on his lips.

Yibo wrung his hands, preening under the attention and shivering all over.

“You’re absolutely breathtaking, Yibo. I… wow…”

“You said that. Thank you,” Yibo whispered, voice soft and amused and bursting with love and gratitude.

“And wow right back at you,” he added and raised an impressed eyebrow at gege’s light blue shirt. The devil had left the two top buttons undone and Yibo gulped, trying to not stare too much. But the outline of Xiao Zhan’s pecs was too tempting.

“Eyes up here, darling,” Xiao Zhan said and winked as soon as he caught Yibo’s gaze. Then he leaned in and kissed him softly on the cheek, like he loved doing and Yibo had come to look forward to.

Xiao Zhan’s hands on his shoulders made him shiver in delight and not because of the fresh breeze. This evening had a completely different vibe than their first ever date and Yibo was all there for it, feeling ready for the next step and looking forward to an evening full of teasing, fun, flirting and little, obvious touches.

It was exciting. It was intoxicating. And he was soaking it all up like a sponge.

When Xiao Zhan handed him his gifts, he was defenseless against the fond, wide smile softening his features even further.

“Thank you. That’s really sweet of you!”

“You’re welcome, Yibo.”

Then Xiao Zhan held out his hand.

“Shall we?”

—

Their evening at the Italian restaurant Yibo had picked was wonderful! The venue was cozy; they sat next to the fireplace across from each other, sharing a pizza, and Yibo couldn’t take his eyes off Xiao Zhan for their entire stay. For anyone walking past, his infatuation must have been evident.

And he knew Xiao Zhan felt it, too. This overwhelming chemistry and tension between them. The invisible pull they both could not and did not want to shake off. It was almost perfect. If there weren’t so many people around, Yibo probably would have leaned across the table…

But no, the evening wasn’t quite over yet.

When they had finished their drinks and Yibo paid for their meals, he held out his hand, a gentle smile on his face.

“Come,” he said. “We’ll go for a walk.”

Xiao Zhan intertwined their fingers, no questions asked, and once they were outside, Yibo led him to their next destination. He had planned ahead and picked the restaurant for another reason, next to the delicious food.

It was only a few minutes away from his dancing school. His dancing school that was closed for the day.

But Yibo had a key and Huang Bo’s permission.

The closer they got, the quicker Yibo’s heart beat in his chest and he didn’t even notice he was squeezing Xiao Zhan’s hand, until the other man chuckled.

“Everything alright?” he asked, urging Yibo, who had almost been racing, to walk a little more slowly, more leisurely.

And Yibo let him, pacing himself and taking a deep breath, annoyed that he was suddenly so nervous and unsure.

Don’t start questioning yourself now, he told himself sternly and felt Xiao Zhan’s thumb brush the back of his hand, grounding him a little.

“It’s just you and me, Yibo. We’ll be fine, ah? We already had such a beautiful night… And I’m sure whatever is next will be just as lovely. Remember what we talked about in the park?”

“Hm.”

Slowly but surely, Yibo’s death grip on Xiao Zhan’s hand loosened, and he smiled, all anxiety and most of the nervousness leaving him.

“Everything is lovely,” he said and felt his heart double in size as he looked at Xiao Zhan next to him, illuminated only by streetlights, passing cars and lights from nearby windows. Xiao Zhan, who was smiling at him like he was the most lovely thing in the world. Xiao Zhan who was more beautiful than the stars in the night sky, in and out. Xiao Zhan who had his whole heart.

Yibo swallowed, no longer fearful, but feeling choked up.

“You’re exactly right,” Xiao Zhan agreed and pulled Yibo against his side, arm around his shoulders.

“Now let’s see what you have in store for me, ah?”

—

Xiao Zhan was visibly excited when Yibo opened the door to the dancing school and led him to one of the smaller studios.

“Sit down here. I’ll change first,” Yibo announced and pointed towards a bench sitting against the wall, feeling excited anticipation rushing through his veins.

With a nod, Xiao Zhan made himself comfortable, crossing his legs and looking around with a curious glint in his eyes.

Yibo changed quickly into white pants, a white blazer over a white loose button-up shirt, a white tie and sparkly shoes. He had come up with the choreography himself and was going to perform it at a gala next weekend. Yibo was very proud of it and wanted Xiao Zhan to be the first who saw it. After all, it was he who inspired him. So it was only fair.

Xiao Zhan gasped audibly when Yibo walked back into the room but stayed where he was, looking a little frozen. After a pleased smile, Yibo connected his phone to the speakers and got into position, feeling his muscles tense familiarly and his heart flutter in his chest.

This was what he was born to do. Dancing, expressing himself through his body and enchanting an audience. Yibo had never known as clearly as in this moment, with Xiao Zhan’s awed and expectant eyes on him. His trust and support and pure love were right there for Yibo to see. And Yibo blossomed under it, growing stronger in confidence and belief, until he felt like he was bursting with it.

He lifted his head, sure of himself, his dreams and his feelings, and fully focused on Xiao Zhan. When the first notes of ‘Versace on the Floor’ hit, he let his body take over, felt the music and started shining like the bright star he would be one day.

Like the star he already was in Xiao Zhan’s eyes.

The performance passed in a blur and when Yibo came back to himself, panting and feeling more alive than ever, Xiao Zhan was already on his way to him.

Yibo laughed a little, feeling breathless and like he was vibrating out of his skin.

“I hope you l-mfhfhf”

Before he could finish his sentence, Xiao Zhan had grabbed his shoulders and kissed him hard and desperately on the mouth. Their teeth clashed, and he pulled back, chuckling awkwardly and out of breath, while Yibo stared at him, unblinking, feeling like his soul was leaving his body and still trying to catch up with what had happened.

Xiao Zhan just… he had… Did he?

Yibo blinked, trying to think straight thoughts but failing spectacularly. The only things convincing him that this had actually happened just then were his tingly lips.

“Ah…sorry for ruining that so spectacularly,” Xiao Zhan admitted and grimaced, face flushed and looking like he had just finished running a marathon. “I couldn’t help myself…You were… You…”

Xiao Zhan faltered, blushing all the way down his chest while Yibo gaped like a fish, shaking his head furiously, trying to talk, to tell Xiao Zhan that he hadn’t ruined anything, but when he couldn’t manage anything apart from a pathetic stutter, he sighed, muttered “damn it” and pulled Xiao Zhan down by the neck, pressing their lips together again, this time more carefully.

Yibo didn’t have a lot of experience and Xiao Zhan seemed a little stiff, but it didn’t matter, it was still the best thing in the world.

Xiao Zhan’s lips were soft and molded against his beautifully. Yibo even felt a little stubble against his soft skin and it made him slightly lightheaded, like he could just float away if gege didn’t have a hold on his waist.

His waist.

Fully aware of Xiao Zhan’s fingers digging into his skin through the flimsy fabric, Yibo made a needy sound deep in his throat and tilted his head.

Then he opened his mouth, inviting gege’s tongue in. Their kiss turned from slightly awkward and tentative to heated and wild within seconds and Yibo’s ears turned vibrantly red when Xiao Zhan groaned deeply against him, then let his hands slip under Yibo’s shirt to get at the hot skin.

They broke apart to catch their breath, panting against each other and eyes wide open, taking each other in, feeling each other.

Yibo was aware of Xiao Zhan’s heaving chest against his own, could even feel his hard nipples through the fabric and oh, would they? Here? In a studio?

His head was swimming, his skin felt like it was on fire, and arousal swirled in his abdomen. Xiao Zhan had just latched on to his neck, making him gasp and throw his head back, when they heard the unmistakable and very unwelcome noise of someone clearing their throat behind them.

When they jumped apart, hearts in their throats and turned towards the noise, the janitor was leaning casually against the wall, a shit-eating grin on his face.

“Sorry to interrupt, boys. You left the door open. I’ll leave you to it!”

The man left, and after a few moments of stunned silence, Xiao Zhan snorted. Soon enough they were both laughing and Yibo rested his hot face against Xiao Zhan’s shoulder, feeling him solid and warm and just perfect underneath him.

No, he thought to himself as Xiao Zhan stroked his hair and kissed his temple, gushing about his performance and telling him how hot and beautiful he was.

They would not have their first time in a studio, in a public place, where anyone could walk in on them.

He wanted it to be somewhere private, intimate, and most of all, Yibo wanted to take his time.

After all, there was no rush. They had all the time in the world.

Chapter Text

Chapter 13

They kissed again back in the car, both too happy and giddy to stay mad at the earlier disruption. Xiao Zhan found it exceptionally amusing and couldn’t stop giggling the whole way.

“I’ve never been caught out like that!” he exclaimed, sounding more excited than embarrassed, and Yibo cackled at his elation.

“Ge, we weren’t doing anything too naughty in there,” he said and reached over to hold Xiao Zhan’s hand while he was driving with one arm.

“That’s so sexy, by the way,” he said and nodded towards the steering wheel.

“What?” Xiao Zhan asked in confusion. “My car?”

Yibo laughed, feeling so endeared and soft for his gege.

“That too. But I was talking about you driving. With one hand. It’s hot.”

“Oh!”

Xiao Zhan seemed surprised. “I never realized. It’s just habit, I guess?”

He chuckled a little awkwardly, and Yibo’s heart melted.

His gege had no issues showering him with compliments, but as soon as Yibo returned the favour, he became flustered and shy. He wondered why that was. Didn’t gege know how wonderful and perfect he was?

Well, Yibo would definitely not turn it down, so Xiao Zhan just had to get used to it.

“Eyes on the road, gege,” Yibo warned after Xiao Zhan almost missed a red light and came to a screeching halt.

There was a pause. Then Xiao Zhan turned towards him. “I’m so sorry!”

He sounded mortified and Yibo snorted.

“Don’t worry, you stopped in time. And there was no one out here.”

He pointed towards the deserted street and sidewalk, and Xiao Zhan’s tense posture relaxed a little.

“It’s hard to concentrate with you next to me looking like this,” he excused himself and Yibo preened.

“Yeah?” he asked and could make out Xiao Zhan’s exaggerated eye roll in the semidarkness.

“Yeah. Don’t pretend to be surprised. You know I’m crazy for you.”

“I know,” Yibo said softly, heart fluttering in his chest and eyes becoming slightly misty. “But it’s nice to hear.”

“Duly noted.”

Yibo swallowed down another cheeky answer as Xiao Zhan continued driving, not wanting to distract him any further.

Way too soon, they arrived at his apartment, and Xiao Zhan sighed dramatically. Yibo understood the sentiment while he pouted at his gege.

“Seungyoun is home today… Otherwise you could come up for a bit,” he said apologetically and undid his seatbelt.

“Aiya, it’s fine, I understand… And it’s late.”

“Can I see you tomorrow?” Yibo asked, not wanting to part, and received a bright smile in return that filled him with nothing but warmth and tenderness.

“Yeah, I’d love that,” Xiao Zhan agreed. “I can cook for you?”

Yibo’s eyes widened, and he nodded in excitement, almost bouncing up and down the seat.

“Great,” Xiao Zhan said. “I’ll call you tomorrow around noon and let you know what the plan is. That alright?”

“Yeah.”

Anything would be alright! As long as he saw his gege again soon!

“I guess I’ll let you go now,” Xiao Zhan said reluctantly and pulled Yibo across, one hand around his neck and oh, suddenly Yibo’s skin was hot and tingly and when his mouth found Xiao Zhan’s his blood pumped in his ears, muting all noises around them. He closed his eyes and the only sensations left were Xiao Zhan’s hand on his bare skin, thumb brushing over the hair at the back of his neck and his soft lips sliding against his, already more skillful than earlier. Maybe Xiao Zhan had been a little rusty.

The thought made him smile into the kiss. Maybe he wasn’t the only one with little experience here. Gege might be older, but he had basically been married to his business for most of his 20s.

This time, their kiss stayed soft, sweet and tender. Yibo kept his mouth shut and Xiao Zhan didn’t encourage him to take it further.

Maybe tomorrow though…

When Yibo walked back to his apartment, knees wobbly, lips a little puffy and carrying Xiao Zhan’s gifts, he thought that his life was truly perfect!

As soon as he was upstairs, had given Seungyoun a mostly accurate account of what had happened, eaten some of Xiao Zhan’s chocolate and put the flowers in a vase, urging Seungyoun to not let them die, he took a long, hot shower.

While he was standing under the hot stream of water, thoughts of Xiao Zhan’s lips and his exploring hands on his mind, he got hard within seconds and huffed wetly. Well. Seungyoun was watching TV loudly and the noise of the shower would hide what he was up to.

So Yibo gave in to his urges. When he reached his climax, two fingers up his ass and tight fist around his cock, he bit his lips and swallowed down the feral noises about to come out of his mouth.

Later, in bed, Yibo’s phone lit up, and he groggily reached for it, smiling immediately when he saw a message from Xiao Zhan.

Xiao Zhan: [Sweet dreams, Yibo. Thank you for the wonderful night. I can’t stop thinking about you. x ]

Yibo sighed stupidly and closed his eyes. Then he pushed the lion plush into his face and giggled manically, feeling his cheeks flush and his eyes get watery.

Was this really happening? Had they kissed? Had gege told him he was crazy about him? And now that he couldn’t stop thinking about him?

With red ears and a deep flush on his face, Yibo wondered whether Xiao Zhan had touched himself earlier too. Whether he had been thinking about Yibo while he was doing it.

Groaning, he rolled over and pushed his hot face into his pillow, feeling his cock twitch underneath him. He was getting aroused again. Of course he was!

But before he could take care of things again, he picked up his phone.

Wang Yibo: [Good night, gege! Can’t wait to see you tomorrow. I’ll try visiting you in your dreams 😊 )

Xiao Zhan’s next response came quickly, and it had Yibo snorting in fond amusement.

Xiao Zhan: [I’ll go to sleep quickly then! See you in my dreams! Wear the pink jacket, please 😉]

Yibo replied one more time with sleepy emojis, and received a kissy emoji in return, before switching off his phone, turning around, recalling Xiao Zhan’s tongue in his mouth and wrapping his hand around his hard length for the second time that night.

—

The first thing Yibo did after waking up and stretching his arms was send Xiao Zhan a sweet ‘good morning’ message. Then he got ready to teach his girls, a spring in his step and humming to himself while he brushed his teeth. He even managed to cook a half-decent breakfast for himself and didn’t find Seungyoun’s instant coffee powder as awful as every other morning he didn’t work at the café.

No, today, everything seemed truly lovely. He almost lost himself in a daydream of slow-dancing with Xiao Zhan amidst a field of vibrant sunflowers and shook his head at his own sappy self.

When he left the apartment, Xiao Zhan hadn’t replied yet, but Yibo didn’t worry. It was early, after all. And Xiao Zhan might still sleep after last night. Yibo knew he was an early riser, but there were exceptions and even gege needed to sleep in occasionally. If he indulged and snoozed a little longer, Yibo was very happy with it.

But when he still didn’t have a message waiting for him after his class ended, he frowned, absently wiping at the sweat on his brow and scrolling through their message history.

It seemed unusual for Xiao Zhan to let Yibo wait for so long. He almost always replied straight away if he wasn’t working and never let Yibo wait long.

Chewing on his bottom lip, Yibo packed his gym bag and rushed out of the studio, deciding to give gege more time. He might be busy driving or shopping or maybe his phone ran out of battery while he was out. Maybe he was out and had forgotten his phone!

The thought soothed Yibo’s worries a little, and he rolled his eyes at his own antics.

 So he forced himself to keep busy, going grocery shopping but still having one eye on his phone.

When Xiao Zhan still hadn’t called or responded after Yibo returned, he couldn’t ignore the growing anxiety in the pit of his stomach anymore. And with it came a very unpleasant thought that left a bad taste in Yibo’s mouth and made his heart beat fretfully in his chest.

What if gege regretted what had happened?

With shaky fingers, Yibo swiped open his phone, ignoring the icy shiver running down his spine and pushing those invasive thoughts away to the back of his mind.

Wang Yibo: [Hey, is everything alright? I hope you’re okay!]

Alas, after he sent the message and the only answer he received was silence, the thoughts crept back to the forefront and Yibo sat on the couch, chewing his fingernails and wishing Seungyoun would come home already.

Maybe gege had decided that Yibo wasn’t boyfriend material after all. Maybe he had woken up with doubts on his mind.

Yibo gulped and balled his hands into fists, feeling tense all over and shaking his head almost violently.

No, gege wouldn’t! He said he was crazy about you. Why would you think that?
Maybe he had realized that the distance between them was too vast. Their lives too different.

But they weren’t!

Yibo groaned and buried his face in his hands, wishing with all his might to feel the low vibrations of his phone. To look up and see that Xiao Zhan had replied to him, apologizing for not responding earlier and inviting him for dinner.

Yibo gulped, and without realizing it, he made himself very small, hands tucked between his thighs and shoulders pulled in.

Gege wouldn’t just ghost him though… Even if he decided to end it before it even started. He would tell Yibo. Gege was kind and had manners.

And you love him so much and thought… thought he returned the feelings.

Yibo knew, on some level, that he was overreacting, but he was currently alone in his head, and not very kind to himself.

The longer Yibo waited, the worse his thoughts spiraled and when Seungyoun returned home, he found him as a sad and anxious bundle of nerves.

“What happened? Are you okay?” he immediately asked, dropping his bags and kneeling down next to Yibo, who needed a few moments to resurface and focus on his roommate’s worried face in front of him.

“It’s… it’s Xiao Zhan.”

Seungyoun’s eyes widened and his mouth fell open.

“He ENDED IT???? I can’t-”

“He didn’t!” Yibo quickly interrupted, feeling oddly breathless. “At least… well… I don’t know. He hasn’t replied to any of my messages today and we agreed he would call and arrange dinner and we were still texting last night, and everything was f-”

“Woah, woah, stop, please!” Seungyoun interrupted him and Yibo snapped his mouth shut, breathing heavily through his nose and trying to calm his racing heart.

“First, just breathe, Yibo. You’re freaking out! For how long have you been sitting here and worrying? Second, you’re exaggerating. It could just be a case of his phone being out of battery, him being out or… or literally anything!”

Yibo shrugged, lowered his gaze, but tried to do as told, already feeling a little more like himself now that his friend was there. When his heart rate was back to normal and breathing didn’t take him such an effort anymore, he sighed.

“Back with me?” Seungyoun asked, and Yibo reached out to squeeze his shoulder. A silent thank you for being there and talking sense to him.

“Okay,” Seungyoun continued. “That’s good. Now, you call him. See if his phone is switched off.”

Yibo froze.

“Call?”

“Duh? You could have saved yourself a lot of fretting. Or do you want me to? I’ll do it!”

Seungyoun made grabby hands at his phone and Yibo pulled it close to his chest, a stubborn frown on his face.

“I’ll do it,” he stated, and before he could get cold feet, he had pulled up Xiao Zhan’s number.

With his heart in his throat, he listened and deflated again when his call went straight to voice message.

“It’s switched off,” he stated and gulped, anxiety returning in full force, even worse than before.

What if something had happened to Xiao Zhan?

And Yibo didn’t know. Was unable to contact him.

Seungyoun’s previously confident composure slipped a little as he chewed on his bottom lip.

“So… maybe he is charging his phone right now?”

“I texted him first thing in the morning and then again after lunch time. It wouldn’t take that long!”

Yibo could basically feel his nerves unravelling, thoughts of doom and disaster swirling in his head as he tried to come up with his next step.

“Do you know where he lives?”

“No,” Yibo replied mournfully. He knew the area in which Xiao Zhan resided, but not the specific address. It hadn’t come up in conversation yet.

“Then can you call the company?”

Yibo paused, trying to calm the tempest within him and think clearly.

“I’m… I’m not sure. It’s Sunday,” he admitted, but pulled up the homepage, anyway.

“There’s an emergency number,” he said and looked at Seungyoun, silently asking for advice.

“It’s worth a try.” He shrugged. “Give it a go. Maybe he lost his phone.”

He sounded doubtful himself, but Yibo steeled himself and pressed on the number.

When he heard a beep, his shoulders sagged in relief. This phone was still working, at least. Now he just had to hope someone was actually monitoring it.

But the longer it took, the more he worried. He had almost given up when there was a click and he heard a somewhat exasperated “Yes?” coming from the other end. And it wasn’t Xiao Zhan.

But then…

“Xuan Lu?”

“YIBO? Is that actually you? Oh my god!”

Yibo’s heart lurched painfully, and he cradled the phone close to his ear, Seungyoun sitting next to him, offering silent support as they shared a quick, slightly panicked look.

“I…I was wondering if… if everything is alright with Xiao Zhan. I can’t contact-,” he stuttered, but before he could finish his sentence, Xuan Lu let out a big sigh.

“Oh Yibo, I’m SO glad you called. I was at a loss about how to contact you and Zhanzhan’s phone broke. Don’t freak out, okay? He had an accident this morning.”

Despite Xuan Lu’s words, Yibo froze, and his breath stuttered to a halt. An accident? Gege had an accident?

He felt like his heart was ripped out of his chest and stabbed with a thousand knives. Like he couldn’t breathe.

Seungyoun noticed his body language change, and he shook him, looking just as frantic as Yibo felt.

“An… a….”

He couldn’t think straight, but Xuan Lu’s voice cut through the dark, suffocating clouds surrounding him.

“He’ll be fine! You hear me Yibo? He’ll be okay! He got hit by a car this morning while out for a jog and is in hospital right now. They took great care of him. He has a concussion and a lot of bruises.”

Yibo’s head didn’t catch up as quickly, and he remained quiet, breathing unevenly while hanging onto Xuan Lu’s words.

“They’ll keep him here for the night, but he should be okay to go home tomorrow if he doesn’t get worse.”

“Which hospital?”

After turning hot and cold and hot again, Yibo’s awareness narrowed down to one thought. Xiao Zhan. He needed to see him. Needed to make sure what Xuan Lu said was true. Yibo had to assure himself that Xiao Zhan was really alright. Would be alright.

Xuan Lu told him the name of the hospital. “Breathe, Yibo. Please try to stay calm. I know it’s a lot and very scary. But right now, you can’t do anything. He’s asleep and healing and the doctors and nurses are keeping an eye on him. I just…”

She faltered and Yibo perked up.

“What?” he urged her, feeling like he should be on his way already and not sitting on the couch in his living room. Not when Xiao Zhan was injured.

“He kept… he kept repeating your name, Yibo. He was barely conscious, but he was insistent on letting you know what happened. That he couldn’t cook dinner for you tonight.”

She sniffled a little at the same moment Yibo’s heart broke and one single tear ran down his cheek.

And here he was, doubting Xiao Zhan’s sincerity. Doubting his feelings and worrying that he had reconsidered. That he didn’t like Yibo as much as he thought.

Oh, the guilt was drowning him. He could hardly catch a breath, feeling like a complete asshole. How wrong he was! How ridiculous!

He wasn’t worthy of Xiao Zhan.

With his lips pressed firmly together, Yibo got up, startling Seungyoun. He had to be better than this. For Xiao Zhan.

“I’m coming. Thank you for letting me know. And for… being there for him.”

“Yibo, it’s fine. But it’s late, and-”

He didn’t hear her last statement, already ending the call and rushing towards the door, Seungyoun on his heels.

“Yibo, I heard! Are you really going now? Do you want me to come with you? Maybe you should-”

“No, I’ll go alone,” he said, surprised at how strong his voice sounded. “Thank you for being there. You’re a good friend.”

Seungyoun looked at him closely, probably wondering whether it was a good decision to let him go on his own, but he also knew how stubborn Yibo was. So, in the end, he nodded.

“Call me if anything happens.”
“I will.”

Yibo cursed under his breath, checking the time on his phone as he waited for the bus to arrive. He had to change subways twice already and was whipping back and forth on his feet, trying to teleport himself to the hospital. It was incredibly annoying to rely on public transport, but buying a car was not in his budget, not yet, and his skateboard only got him this far.

When he was almost ready to call a cab, the bus finally arrived and Yibo rushed on, sitting down nervously and biting his fingernails.

It was already getting dusky when he arrived at the hospital and Yibo couldn’t help himself; he ran the last stretch, flew through the door and came to a halt in front of the reception desk, catching his breath.

“I… I’d like to visit Xiao Zhan. Please. He was admitted today.”

The gentleman behind reception eyed him incredulously, before clearing his throat testily.

Yibo stood up a little straighter and tried to appear composed. Like his heart was not currently beating so hard, he feared the whole hospital could hear it and like he wasn’t stressed out of his mind.

“Visiting hours are over, sir. I have to ask you to return tomorrow.”

“No!” Yibo almost screamed and leaned over, anxiety a storm in his guts, mixed with shame and an urgency to see Xiao Zhan instantly or his heart might break for real.

“I won’t be long,” he tried arguing, against his better judgement. Rationality had gone out the window a few hours ago. “I’ll only need to see him. Check he’s alright. Please.”

He knew he sounded desperate. Manic. But it was essential, important. Xiao Zhan was alone and in pain and Yibo couldn’t bear it. Couldn’t deal with the helplessness.

“I understand, young man,” the receptionist continued, a little kinder, and Yibo saw a sliver of hope. Would he cave…? “But we adhere to strict rules. Please return in the morning.”

His statement was firm and even Yibo, in his frenzy, realized that he had no chance of arguing his way in. For a split second, he considered making a run for it, but immediately deflated. He didn’t even know where Xiao Zhan was. Hospitals were huge.

So he took a step back and stood aimlessly in the entrance hall, anxiety and worry his constant companions, pressing him down, making everything seem bleak and hopeless.

When he thought of Xiao Zhan lying in his hospital bed, bruised, battered and all alone, a heart wrenching sob escaped him. The next moment, his shoulders started shaking as he wept uncontrollably, the pressure in his chest almost unbearable.

“Yibo! I tried telling you it was too late… oh dear…”

Even Xuan Lu’s appearance wasn’t enough to console him. Only seeing Xiao Zhan with his own eyes would do that.

But he still let himself be led away, outside the hospital, not sure where Xuan Lu was taking him, but following blindly, hiccupping occasionally. For now, Yibo had given up, feeling pitiful and useless. He should be there for Xiao Zhan! But next to doubting him, he couldn’t even do that. Really, Xiao Zhan deserved better than him!

Eventually, they stopped in the middle of the car park and Yibo wiped at his wet face, looking at his shoes.

“Take calm breaths for now, alright?” Xuan Lu told him in a gentle voice, and Yibo listened. That was something he could do, at least. If nothing else.

“Good. You’re doing well,” Xuan Lu encouraged him when the sobbing stopped and after a while, Yibo felt strong enough to look her in the eyes.

He faced nothing but sympathy, and it made his cracked heart mend a tiny bit.

“I’m sorry,” he said, voice weak and small but Xuan Lu just tsked and shook her head.

“What are you sorry about? None of this is your fault! Only that asshole of a driver is guilty here and believe me, he’ll be punished.”

She huffed, angry sparks in her eyes, and Yibo took a timid step back, feeling slightly intimidated.

But as soon as Xuan Lu saw his defensive posture, her features softened.

“Hey,” she said and smiled kindly. “There was nothing you could do, so don’t beat yourself up. And ZhanZhan will recover. You can see him tomorrow. How about that?”

Yibo sniffled one more time, then nodded in defeat. Tomorrow it was, then.

“I’ll call in sick,” he told Xuan Lu and straightened up, but was immediately scolded.

“Don’t even think about it!” Xuan Lu said, and Yibo deflated again. “ZhanZhan would feel awful if he found out. You can come and see him after work. He’ll probably be home by then.”

After fighting with himself for a while, Yibo gave in. In the end, he didn’t want to upset Xiao Zhan. He had already suffered enough.

Chapter Text

Chapter 14

“This isn’t what I ordered!”

Yibo looked up, trying to make sense of what the elderly lady in front of the counter was saying.

“Not what you…?” he asked, feeling confused and slightly irritated.

“Not what I ORDERED, young man. This is a hot chocolate. I wanted a black coffee!”

“Oh…. right,” Yibo mumbled and scanned the orders on his screen. This morning, he had trouble keeping track of what was happening around him, and he swallowed thickly before starting the coffee grinder and preparing the correct coffee. “Apologies. I’ll make it straight away.”

Xuan Lu had said she would keep Yibo updated about Xiao Zhan’s state and whereabouts and Yibo couldn’t help sneaking secret looks at his phone every few minutes.

He was distracted, tired and cranky, and it showed.

When someone tugged on his shirt sleeve, Yibo frowned in irritation.

“What?” he asked, and his question came out snappier than intended. When he saw Li Qin’s stern face, he jerked in horror and surprise, an apology immediately on his lips, but his boss just sighed.

“Have a break in the back, Yibo. I’ll take over.”

Without him noticing, the orders had piled up, and a crowd had formed in front of the coffee machine.

“Oh,” Yibo muttered in a small voice, ears burning and feeling utterly ashamed of his poor form this morning.

Sheepishly, he stepped out of the way and let his boss do his job.

But now he was in the way, and in the end, Zhang Jingyi took him by the wrist, walked him to the back room and pushed him down on a chair.

“Now pull yourself back together, Yibo,” she told him and closed the door behind herself.

Yibo slumped down, head in his hands, and blinking the tears away.

After he hardly slept the night before, tossing and turning and worrying about his gege, he didn’t quite feel like himself today. His mind wasn’t in it and he was on edge, nervous and fidgety.

But he also had a job to do. He was here, so the least he could do was try to concentrate.

Sighing deeply, Yibo shook his head and cursed himself. He felt awful for letting everyone down and causing his boss to take over for him. Li Qin paid him. She shouldn’t do his work.

No, he couldn’t fall apart like that! Especially not when he was seeing Xiao Zhan later! His gege would need his help and support. Yibo couldn’t turn up looking and feeling such a mess. He needed to be strong for gege!

The thought didn’t miraculously take away his stress, and he was still tired as hell, but now he could feel a sense of purpose and determination pushing persistently at the gloom surrounding him. Without really noticing it, Yibo sat a little straighter and his eyes became more focused.

For the next few minutes, he did what Zhang Jingyi told him and pulled his scattered pieces back together, feeling almost human again in the end.

When Li Qin came to the back, Yibo was about to stand up, but she shook her head and motioned for him to stay where he was. Then she took a seat in front of him and gave him a sympathetic smile.

“The worst is over,” she stated. “You’ll have a few more minutes to breathe, Yibo.”

“I apologize,” Yibo said immediately and bowed his head. “I will take over again and won’t let you down. Thank you for jumping in. It won’t happen again.”

Li Qin snickered at his forceful declaration, and Yibo scratched his head a little sheepishly, smiling faintly.

“It’s okay to have an off day,” Li Qin said and petted the back of his hand. “And if you feel the need to talk, please know that I have an open ear for you. You’ve been working for me for so long now, Yibo. I care about your well-being.”

Oh, that was…

Yibo swallowed down the lump in his throat, feeling touched beyond belief at Li Qin’s kindness. She could be brash and very direct, but his boss had a kind heart.

He promised himself to always give his best and to never disappoint her again.

When he put his apron back on, he was in work mode, making coffees efficiently and actively forcing himself to only think about what was in front of him. It took a lot of effort and Yibo almost started sweating, but he managed.

Still, when the end of his shift approached, he became restless again, eyes darting towards the clock on the wall and forcing himself to keep his phone in his pocket.

The last five minutes felt like an eternity and Yibo let out a long sigh of relief when the clock struck 3pm and he could finish for the day.

Immediately, he fumbled for his phone and his eyes lit up as he saw a message by Xuan Lu.

Xuan Lu: [Yibo, ZhanZhan is home again. I’ll send you the address. Come over this afternoon and don’t be shocked when you see him. It’s not as bad as it looks!]

The end of Xuan Lu’s statement made Yibo gulp, and anxiety flared up in his chest. How bad could his gege be?

Yibo felt a pang of white-hot anger at the driver, who hit Xiao Zhan. Hopefully, they would be punished for their carelessness!

“Yibo!”

“Mn?”

Li Qin handed him a plastic bag. “That’s some buns and pastries from this morning. Take them to your man.”

Yibo took the bag gratefully and pulled his phone out to pay. But Li Qin shoved it away.

“Don’t worry about it today. Make sure he’s alright!”

“But…”

“No argument!”

Yibo pressed his lips firmly together, feeling like he didn’t deserve this kindness after today. But then, Xiao Zhan definitely did.

“Thank you,” he said with his whole heart and bowed his head to his wonderful boss.

“And now off with you!”

Yibo didn’t have to be told twice. He shouldered his backpack, held the bag of food close, and picked up his skateboard.

He’d have to take one subway to get to the suburb Xiao Zhan resided in, then skate the rest of the way. It wouldn’t take him longer than 20 minutes!

His day was looking a little brighter already, even though the nervousness and some remnant guilt remained and Yibo wouldn’t find peace until he could hold Xiao Zhan’s hand in his. Carefully.

When sleep refused to claim him the night before, Yibo had looked up treatments and signs of concussions online to educate himself. He wouldn’t want to feel useless like yesterday again. Yibo was no doctor, but he could still be of help.

In the end, he almost rushed past Xiao Zhan’s house and had to do a double take.

The area looked very fancy to Yibo, who was used to walking past tall apartment buildings. Grand houses dominated, and he hardly saw cars driving past, giving his surroundings an almost eerie atmosphere. Yibo didn’t feel uncomfortable, but it was not something he was used to. A completely different vibe, but somehow peaceful. His street was always busy, and honking car horns didn’t even surprise him anymore. The contrast couldn’t be any clearer.

Walking up to number 1823, Yibo’s eyes went wide. There were steps leading up to Xiao Zhan’s front door and everything seemed pristine! Yibo, being a neat freak, approved, even though the building seemed a little daunting. Xiao Zhan really lived here alone with his cat?

He couldn’t imagine having such a huge place all to himself. It would probably be great, though. Yibo could have a private dance studio and a whole room for his Lego!

As he walked up the stairs, he felt nervousness wash over him once again.

Yibo took two steps at a time and before he could ring the doorbell, the door opened, revealing Xuan Lu smiling at him.

“Hey! That was quick!” she said and raised an eyebrow when she saw Yibo’s skateboard. “Ha, you should ask him about that sometime,” she said ominously and nodded towards the shoe rack and a pair of slippers.

“It…it’s not too far from work and I didn’t have to wait for the subway,” Yibo explained, sounding a little out of breath and feeling his heart beat heavily in his chest. A part of him wondered what Xuan Lu was hinting at regarding his skateboard, but the thought was soon pushed to the back of his mind as he faced more urgent matters.

He stepped into the spacious living and dining area, complete with kitchen and library corner, but didn’t have the mind to take it all in, immediately searching, looking…

When he found Xiao Zhan, lying on a couch, propped up by pillows and covered by a blanket, his heart stuttered to a halt and a lump formed in his throat.

He froze, but only for a moment, then a noise, something in between a groan and a whine escaped him and he rushed towards his love, almost stumbling over a pile of books and falling hard onto his knees next to the couch, tears already blurring his vision but shaky hands reaching out for his gege, needing to touch him. To reassure himself that he was here, and real, and breathing. Banged up, but alive.

Carefully, he laid his head onto gege’s chest, closed his eyes and started sobbing, shoulders shaking and tears running down his cheeks, dropping onto the blanket underneath him.

But oh, Yibo felt gege’s heartbeat through the fabric, and it was as strong as ever and he squeezed his eyes shut, jerking a little when he felt weak pressure on his head, Xiao Zhan’s hand, petting him and letting his fingers run through Yibo’s messy bangs.

“Don’t cry, baobei,” Xiao Zhan whispered, and he slurred a little, voice rough and almost a whisper, prompting Yibo to raise his head and look his love in the eyes, instantly feeling ashamed of his breakdown.

He shouldn’t be the one to be comforted here.

“Ge,” he muttered. “I was so worried about you. Are you in a lot of pain? How are you feeling?”

Xiao Zhan huffed weakly and immediately winced to rub at his sides.

Yibo pulled back a little, hands hovering, and a displeased frown on his face. He really couldn’t deal with his gege suffering and felt the sudden urge to scream and punch a wall. This wasn’t fair!

“Don’t play hero now!”

They heard Xuan Lu shout from where she was puttering around in the kitchen, and Xiao Zhan let out a small sigh.

“I feel like a giant bruise, to be honest,” he admitted. “And I probably look ugly! Ah, too awful!”

Yibo’s heart trembled at the same moment Xuan Lu groaned and told him to stop being ridiculous. But Yibo didn’t hear her, eyes and ears focused on his gege only. And even now, Xiao Zhan tried to be a joker and lighten up the situation. Yibo had so much love for him, he didn’t know what to do with it!

Smiling through the tears, he reached out to gently stroke Xiao Zhan’s cheek, being careful to stay away from his injuries.

“You’re always lovely,” he said and winked, even though his eyes were stinging, and his throat felt raw. “Even with your eye all black and blue like that and your split lip. Even with the bruise on your jaw and the scratches on your cheek.”

“Aiya, Lao Wang…” Xiao Zhan replied and brought his hand up to wipe the tears away from Yibo’s face. He was lost for words and the action seemed to take him an effort.

Despite the need to feel Xiao Zhan’s touch, Yibo frowned, then helped him lower his arm again.

“Did you hurt your arm as well, ge? What else is hurt?”

“Mostly… mostly my right side. That’s where the car hit me. But I don’t remember more than sudden impact and then pain…”

He trailed off and closed his eyes. Yibo bit his bottom lip and scolded himself for asking Xiao Zhan so many questions. He should rest now and not overexert himself.

“His ribs aren’t broken, but his waist and hip hit the windshield. Oh, yes, and his head, of course. The next days will be painful.” Xuan Lu picked up the conversation while unpacking the food Yibo brought.

Xiao Zhan kept his eyes shut, long lashes resting against his cheekbones and Yibo winced at how much pain Xiao Zhan had to endure, wanting to hug him close but afraid to hurt him further.

So he stroked his upper arm gently, needing at least one hand on him at all times and wondering whether Xiao Zhan would go back to sleep. At least then he could heal and wouldn’t suffer for a while.

But after a few moments, Xiao Zhan’s eyes opened again and focused on Yibo.

“Sorry for not replying to you yesterday,” he said and Yibo pulled in a sharp breath of air. If Xiao Zhan wasn’t injured right now, he would hit him!

“Ge, don’t you dare apologize for that,” he said and gave him a mock glare. “You should try to sleep some more.”

Xiao Zhan grumbled. “I slept so much already!”

“And you’ll need even more sleep!” Xuan Lu piped up from the kitchen. “A concussion is no joke!”

“I know that,” Xiao Zhan muttered and rolled his eyes, then groaned. Even the minimal movements seemed to hurt him.

“Did you have to get stitches?” Yibo asked and squinted at his head. He couldn’t see any trace of an injury there.

Xiao Zhan shook his head, then immediately regretted it and winced, while Xuan Lu urged him to not move too much.

“Aiya,” Xiao Zhan whined, then deflated and closed his eyes again.

“No,” he said morosely. “Just got knocked straight out. There’s a huge lump somewhere in the back of my head, though.”

“For which you should use an ice pack!” They heard Xuan Lu’s reproachful voice from somewhere close by.

“And…and did you lose your memory?” Yibo asked, feeling a little alarmed. He read it could happen. If Xiao Zhan had forgotten all about the night before, Yibo would be devastated!

Xiao Zhan, despite his current state, must have noticed his concern and let out a weak chuckle before reaching out again and stroking Yibo’s cheek.

This time, Yibo held on to him, keeping him in place and leaning into the soft touch.

“You really think I could forget something like that, Lao Wang, ah?”

Yibo grinned happily, stroking the back of Xiao Zhan’s hand, while their eyes locked and they took each other in. One battered and bruised. The other with red-rimmed, tired eyes and a blotchy face. But both of them smiling.

“I’ll leave you to it,” Xuan Lu announced, and they heard the unmistakable rattle of car keys. “Yibo, please come here for a minute.”

Reluctantly, Yibo let go of Xiao Zhan’s hand and averted his gaze.

“Don’t listen to her,” Xiao Zhan urged him with a sad attempt at a wink that made Yibo snort as he followed Xuan Lu outside the front door.

“Alright,” the other woman said, all business, and Yibo stood a little straighter. “The fridge is full of food for the next days, so he doesn’t have to cook anything. Jianguo’s automatic feeder and water bowl are all topped up too. I’ve left notes on when he should take his meds and how to take them on the counter. And the most important part–no work and no strenuous exercising.”

She pierced him with an intense stare after the last statement and Yibo almost felt his skin crawl.

“Got it,” he said and nodded vigilantly. “I’ll take good care of him. Mn.”

“His bedroom is upstairs, unfortunately, so he either sleeps downstairs for a few days until he is more mobile again or you have to help him. Don’t let him walk up or down there on his own. He might pretend it’s not so bad, but I saw the damage.”

Yibo stilled, then nodded again, more fretfully, wondering whether he was really qualified to look out for him.

“Hey,” Xuan Lu said and gave him one of her kind, reassuring smiles. “You’ll be fine. Just make sure he has everything he needs and assist him. My wife is a doctor, so feel free to call me anytime if you worry. She’ll check up on him in a few days.”

“Okay,” Yibo said, squaring up again. He would have to do his best! “Thank you for your help. I’ll make sure he’ll rest.”

“The guestroom is also upstairs, but of course, your sleeping arrangements are none of my business,” Xuan Lu said easily and Yibo froze, then flushed.

“I… I… guestroom?”

Xuan Lu frowned at his confusion and Yibo kept stuttering some more, not making any sense and finally just shutting up, chewing on his bottom lip.

“Wait,” Xuan Lu exclaimed and narrowed her eyes at him. “You didn’t plan to stay?”

“Uh…”

Well, no. He didn’t. Of course he wanted to, but no one had invited him. He couldn’t just decide on his own, right? That would be preposterous. Only somehow, Xuan Lu had just assumed he would.

“Well, I don’t know how far away you live, but it’s much easier to care for ZhanZhan this way, don’t you think? Or…”

Her face fell, and she took a step back.

“Do you not want to? I thought you both were… are you not…?”

Yibo winced and made a vague gesture that could mean anything and everything. Were they a couple now? Boyfriends? It was all still so fresh, and they didn’t have the chance to actually talk about it. That would have been the plan for today. Yibo was pretty sure they were an item now. But not… officially.

“It’s fine with me if it’s fine with gege,” he ended up saying, not thinking about the fact that he hadn’t brought a change of clothes with him.

“Well, then it’s settled! All the best!”

When Yibo went back inside, Xiao Zhan’s eyes were closed, and he seemed to doze. Yibo decided not to bother him and stepped a little more gingerly, finally taking the time to have a look around the house. It was big and open. The kitchen was in front of him to his right, a living area where Xiao Zhan was currently snoozing, to his left, as well as a small library corner with a comfortable window seat, a desk and lots of shelves. He saw a few doors opposite and a staircase leading upstairs.

It was cluttered and Yibo winced a little. Xiao Zhan definitely wasn’t a neat freak, he mused as he stepped over a pile of half-finished drawings on the floor.

When Yibo saw a bushy something from the corner of his eyes, he almost jumped out of his house shoes, heart in his throat, and only just kept the embarrassing squeak inside.

He turned around slowly and stared down at Xiao Zhan’s fluffy and currently a little distrustful roommate, Jianguo.

Yibo’s featured softened, as he cooed and went down on his knees.

“Come on, kitty,” he whispered and held out his hand, trying to appear harmless and trusting.

Jianguo stayed where she was, delicately licking her paw, then took a few careful steps and began sniffing him.

Yibo giggled, as her whiskers tickled his index finger, but he didn’t pull away, not wanting to startle her.

Eventually, Xiao Zhan adjusted himself, let out a pained cry and scared his poor cat and Yibo.

Jianguo vanished and climbed up her cat tree, while Yibo got up again quickly and checked how his gege was doing.

It turned out that Xiao Zhan had to use the toilet and was very stubborn about it.

“I can walk, Yibo, I didn’t break my legs!” he argued, when Yibo kept a hold of his waist and steered him towards the door on the right. “Also, that’s the guest bathroom. My bathroom is upstairs.”

Yibo sighed internally, making sure that his ge, who was very wobbly on his feet and obviously in pain, didn’t fall down and hurt himself more.

“A toilet is a toilet, ge. Do you really want to walk up all the stairs and then down again?” he asked him and at least it made Xiao Zhan shut up.

Yibo didn’t follow him into the bathroom, even though he would have if Xiao Zhan had asked, but he hovered in front of the door, trying to listen, but not too closely, and when Xiao Zhan appeared again, a sad pout on his face, he offered his arm and shoulder.

Xiao Zhan accepted the support more willingly this time, shuffling slowly back to his spot on the couch and letting Yibo manhandle him into a comfortable position.

“I think… I think I’ll need more help than I thought,” Xiao Zhan admitted and cursed colourfully under his breath.

“Ge! Language! Your princess can hear you,” Yibo scolded him and pointed towards Jianguo, who was still observing them from the top of her cat tower. “Also, that’s why I’m here. Remember how you were there for me when I was hurt? Now it’s my turn. So please accept my help.”

Xiao Zhan blinked up at him, then a small smile spread across his features. Not the big, sunshine smile, Yibo thought his banged up lip probably made it impossible, but still a genuine, pretty one.

“You’re right, Lao Wang,” Xiao Zhan admitted. “And I’m glad you’re here.”

The warmth spreading through Yibo’s whole chest was a welcome change from all the anxiety and gloom and he held onto it carefully, while reaching out to grasp Xiao Zhan’s hand.

“You’re fine with me staying here… for a while?” Yibo asked softly, heart beating a little faster.

Xiao Zhan blinked up at him in confusion. “I thought… that was what Xuan Lu said you were planning. You don’t have to, I know you’re busy, but-”

“Of course I want to,” Yibo quickly cut in, not wanting Xiao Zhan to be stressed.

Cursing Xuan Lu for her meddling, but not really mad, he squeezed Xiao Zhan’s hand.

“It’s easier to go to work from here,” he added and smiled gently. “I only need to head back tomorrow after work and uh… get my luggage.”

Xiao Zhan snorted in response. “Take my car,” he offered, and Yibo’s eyes almost popped out of his head.

“Your… are you sure?” he asked. It would save him a lot of travel time for sure, but Xiao Zhan’s car was so fancy!

“It’s just collecting dust in the garage,” Xiao Zhan argued, sounding unbothered. “And I don’t want you to run yourself ragged.”

“Thank you, ge. I’ll take good care of it!”

“Take care of yourself first.”

“Mn, will do!” Yibo nodded happily and got up. “Do you want to eat a little? I brought those pork buns you like so much.”

“Sounds good,” Xiao Zhan replied lazily and Yibo helped him into an upright position, piling up the pillows behind him and making sure he was as careful as possible.

“I’ll cut it up for you, ge. Because of your lip,” Yibo replied eagerly from where he was standing in the kitchen, relieved that he could be of help.

After Xiao Zhan had eaten a few bites, drank a little green tea and took his medication that Yibo meticulously laid out for him, he sighed and closed his eyes.

“Are you alright? Do you want to sleep?” Yibo asked nervously and squinted at Xiao Zhan’s face, wondering whether he looked the same or was paler than earlier.

“Got a headache,” his gege muttered and pulled the blanket closer, prompting Yibo to wonder whether he should crank up the heater.

“I’ll get you a cool cloth. And the painkillers should kick in soon. Hang in there,” Yibo said gently and stroked Xiao Zhan’s brow.

“Mn. Wanna go to bed,” Xiao Zhan muttered and Yibo chewed on his bottom lip, throwing a slightly concerned look towards the stairs.

“You sure about that? You’ll have to get up and up the st-”

“I know,” Xiao Zhan replied and sighed in annoyance. “Can’t sleep well down here.”

“Ah, I see…”

With some difficulty, Yibo helped Xiao Zhan upstairs, one step at a time and his arm firmly behind Xiao Zhan’s back, holding on to the railing, in case he fell.

But they made it, eventually.

Stepping into Xiao Zhan’s bedroom for the first time should have been a different experience, but Yibo had no time to feel sad about it, so glad he got Xiao Zhan under the blanket safely.

“Are you cold?” he asked as he returned from the bathroom, carrying a cool towel and laying it gently on Xiao Zhan’s brow.

His gege mumbled no, having learned by now that nodding or shaking his head wasn’t a good idea, and sighed deeply.

“Thank you, Yibo.”

“You’re welcome, Xiao Zhan. Sleep well. And feel better tomorrow.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 15

Yibo stumbled upon the guestroom after opening a few doors and was taken aback by its neatness and simplicity in contrast to the rest of the house. It probably wasn’t in use very often.

Regretting that he hadn’t planned ahead better and packed at least a few essentials, Yibo went through the downstairs guest bathroom that was fortunately stocked with everything he needed-he even found a new toothbrush-and had a quick shower.

Then he went searching for a phone charger, sent Seungyoun a message, checked on Jianguo, and went to bed himself, making sure he left the bedside lamp on.

He didn’t want to go through Xiao Zhan’s wardrobe even though he was positive gege would gladly lend him some clothes. But that would have meant tiptoeing into gege’s bedroom again, and Yibo couldn’t work up the guts to do that, possibly wake him up and look nosy in the process.

So he slept naked, feeling a little shy and blushing furiously, despite the walls between them and the blanket he was under.

Somehow, he felt naughty and even cackled a little at himself.

Despite the unfamiliar surroundings, he slept like a log that night and only woke up when his alarm tone reached his ears, pulling him out of a deep slumber. Disoriented at first and shivering slightly, he pulled back the blanket and stretched his back. Then he frowned down on his morning wood, chose to ignore it, and quickly got dressed in yesterday’s clothes, feeling icky. But it couldn’t be helped.

Next, he went downstairs, and scanned the content of the fridge and pantry, wondering what Xuan Lu had left for breakfast. A quick stock take showed him that Xiao Zhan’s friend left lunch and dinner meals, but most likely assumed Yibo would be able to do some basic cooking.

Yibo became a little nervous when he realized he had to prepare breakfast from scratch and he winced, scratching his head and contemplating what he could do. He wasn’t completely useless in the kitchen, but cooking didn’t belong to his strengths. Yibo wasn’t too proud to admit that it wasn’t something he enjoyed or wanted to get better at. Making food for himself was fine, and he wasn’t too concerned when he burned something or made mistakes. As long as he didn’t make himself sick or burned down the kitchen, he considered his skills to be enough.

Alas, cooking for another person, especially for his boyfriend (still to be confirmed!) was an entirely different story!

Yibo kept wrecking his brain about what to do and decided to stick with something easy. But before he could start looking for utensils and ingredients, a low meow sounded from the living area and Jianguo came waddling over, looking infinitely cute on her short legs.

This time she even let Yibo pet her soft fur and he couldn’t help gushing at her fluffiness! Soon enough, though, he found out why Jianguo was so generous and clingy. She took a seat next to her automatic feeder and gave him a stare, accompanied by a pitiful whine.

Yibo narrowed his eyes at the sorrowful display but remained steadfast. Xuan Lu had informed him that her automatic feeder would dispose her breakfast at the same time every day, and under no circumstances was he to feed her earlier.

“I see what you’re doing, princess,” Yibo murmured knowingly and petted her head one more time, ignoring the demanding meows and looking for basic congee ingredients.

At least Xiao Zhan’s kitchen was well stocked, and he could prepare various toppings, mindful of leaving out any spices or items that would clash with his ge’s medication.

When Yibo was in the middle of cutting up some spring onion, he realized with a jolt that he didn’t have to get up that early after all, having completely forgotten that Xiao Zhan had offered him his car and he would only take about 10 minutes to get to work!

Oh, his week would be so much easier! He let out a giddy laugh and went to stir his pot of congee, but the next moment he heard an unmistakable thud from upstairs, followed by a faint groan.

Immediately, Yibo dropped the spoon, breath caught in his throat, and he scrambled up the stairs, taking three steps at the same time.

He barged into Xiao Zhan’s room without knocking, heart in his throat, and switched on the light.

The image would have been funny under different circumstances. Alas, the sight of Xiao Zhan next to the bed, half sitting, half lying on the ground with a sleepy, confused and stunned expression on his face, scared him to death.

“Gege!” he shouted, a hint of despair in his voice, as he rushed to Xiao Zhan’s side and cradled him against his chest, making sure to protect his head and hold him gently.

“Did you knock yourself out again? Where does it hurt?” he asked, trying to not sound as frantic as he felt.

“No,” Xiao Zhan answered after a while, sounding more distressed than pained, and Yibo could breathe a little easier again. “Didn’t hit my head. And… I don’t think I’m in more pain than I already was.”

“What happened?”

“I don’t know,” Xiao Zhan said, frustration creeping into his voice, and he pouted a little. It looked somewhat heart wrenching on his bruised face and Yibo held him a little closer, suddenly feeling fiercely protective of his ge.

“I just stood up and then I felt dizzy…” Xiao Zhan added and Yibo almost scolded him. But then, Xiao Zhan was already so pitiful this morning, he didn’t think he could lecture him on top of it.

“I should have checked on you,” he said instead, chewing on his bottom lip and stroking the back of Xiao Zhan’s head, feeling him huff against his chest, then pet Yibo’s back twice.

“Don’t, Yibo. You’re not my servant or on 24/7 call.”

Yibo kept worrying his bottom lip between his teeth, a frown on his face.

No, of course he wasn’t. But Xiao Zhan was relying on his help. And he didn’t see this as a job or something forced on him. When it dawned on him what Xiao Zhan was thinking, he sighed deeply and searched his gege’s eyes, trying not to flinch at all the bruises and especially the one around his right eye.

“Ge, you’re not a nuisance to me and I want to help you. Please let me,” he said simply. “I know it’s frustrating for you to be so restricted. I totally understand.”

Xiao Zhan blinked up at him, lips slightly parted and oh, how much Yibo wanted to dive in. But the wound on the corner of his mouth still looked red and angry and probably hurt like hell. Yibo didn’t want to inflict any more pain.

“Yeah…I…” Xiao Zhan stuttered, then groaned and squeezed his eyes shut. “Yibo, I can’t think right now, head spinning…”

“I’ve got you, ge. Let’s get you back in bed, yes?”

Once he had maneuvered Xiao Zhan back under the blanket and left him propped up against a pile of pillows, he rushed downstairs, checked on the congee and poured a glass of water.

“Here,” he said, pressing it into Xiao Zhan’s hands and urging him to drink a few sips.

“Wait for the dizziness to ease, alright? You can take your meds soon as well, after you ate.”

Xiao Zhan hummed meekly and didn’t try arguing, showing Yibo that he had either accepted his situation or was too unwell to protest.

“Stay put. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

Yibo rushed down the stairs again, cursing Xiao Zhan’s big house under his breath.

After rummaging in the drawers, he found a tray and carefully arranged his dishes. It wasn’t anything fancy and even in Yibo’s eyes, the spread looked clumsy, but there was no time to fret about it. He was positive it was edible and somewhat healthy, and Xiao Zhan needed it.

So he balanced it all upstairs, nudged the door open with his foot, and carefully placed the tray on the side table.

“Um,” he commented, watching Xiao Zhan take in his breakfast mutely and feeling a little flustered.

“I… I tried,” he defended himself, and felt his cheeks flush. “I’m sure it’s not as good as what you’re used to, b-”

“You did this? For me?” Xiao Zhan asked in a small voice, pointing at his own face. And that’s when Yibo really saw him. His teary eyes and stunned, almost awed expression. His wobbly bottom lip.

Oh…

“Yeah,” he confirmed, voice infinitely soft as he sat down on the side of the bed, took the orange juice off the tray and placed the food on Xiao Zhan’s lap, making sure it was properly balanced before he let go.

“Yibo… Thank you… Really. It all looks amazing! Are those heart-shaped orange slices?”

Xiao Zhan sniffled and sent him a grateful look and then just kept… staring.

Yibo picked up the spoon and pushed it into his hand to divert his attention back to the food.

“You’re welcome, ge. And eat your congee before it gets cold! I’m sorry I couldn’t make you a coffee, but it doesn’t mix with your tablets. Would you like some orange juice?”

“I’d love that. And… can you hand me my glasses, please?”

“Sure thing.”

“You’ll have some too, yes? I can’t possibly eat all of this,” Xiao Zhan said and sighed. “I don’t think I ever had breakfast in bed…”

Yibo nodded along as he chewed on a piece of apple, making a mental note of checking out recipes later and determined to prepare Xiao Zhan breakfast in bed every day from now on.

Maybe he would still become a passable cook, eventually! If it made Xiao Zhan so happy, Yibo was more than motivated to work on his skills.

He was ready to leave about half an hour later, making sure that Xiao Zhan was comfortably sitting on the couch downstairs, and promised to only get up when he needed the toilet.

“Aiya, I’ll be more careful this time, I promise!” he said, looking like innocence personified, but Yibo remained doubtful as he gave him a skeptical look. “My clothes suit you, don’t you think?” Xiao Zhan added only a moment later and Yibo almost lost his composure, becoming hyper aware of the peach and cream smell surrounding him and he almost inhaled deeply, wanting to soak up as much of it as possible.

“Mn,” he replied and gave Xiao Zhan a small smile. “Thank you, ge. They are very comfortable.”

“And I’m sure they’ll smell like coffee beans when you come back.”

He tried winking at Yibo but flinched instead, hand coming up to cover his injured eye, and Yibo screwed up his face.

“Don’t do that,” he said unhelpfully and tugged at his jeans. Despite the belt he was using, they were a little long, and he had to roll up the legs so he wouldn’t step on the material. It’ll do, though, and at least the dark sweater fit him much better.

“Can’t help it,” Xiao Zhan muttered but leaned back, gazing up at him and absent-mindedly stroking Jianguo, who had climbed onto his lap and was now kneading dough on top of the blanket.

Yibo wanted to join them, and he stood rooted to the spot a little longer, taking Xiao Zhan in. He had changed into a fresh set of blue and white striped pyjamas and looked infinitely soft and cuddly. Inviting. Maybe later Yibo could hold him a little longer. Kiss him again, carefully. And make sure he wasn’t in too much discomfort.

When his chest threatened to expand with all the love inside, Yibo pulled his gaze away and fiddled with the set of keys Xiao Zhan had entrusted him with.

Now he was driving to work, a grin plastered across his face.

It had been way too long since he last drove a car. Yibo enjoyed it enormously–anything fast got his blood boiling, whether it was riding on his skateboard with the wind in his hair or sitting in a car with the windows down. Once, he had been able to ride his friend’s motorbike, and it had been one of the best feelings! Maybe one day he would have his own.

His day was going well. Yibo texted Xiao Zhan during his lunch break and received a picture of Jianguo sleeping in the crook of his arm in return.

While he was cooing over it, a wide, endeared grin on his face and possible hearts in his eyes, he couldn’t have been more at ease. Xiao Zhan stayed true to his words and took it easy and hopefully he had made peace with his current situation. It would be much easier for the both of them!

After his shift, Yibo stopped by the florist, then drove home and packed his suitcase, unsure of the time he would stay but mindful to grab enough for a week at least.

“Moving in already, I see,” Seungyoun commented loftily and leaned against the door frame, observing Yibo at work.

He had taken the news of Yibo leaving for a while better than expected and Yibo wasn’t yet sure whether he should be relieved or upset. He settled somewhere in the middle and gave his roommate a flat stare.

“It’s only until he’s better,” he argued, even though the thought was incredibly tempting. But that was way too early. They hadn’t even kissed again after Saturday night! Nevertheless, Yibo could dream!

“You say that now,” Seungyoun threw back at him and prompted Yibo to roll his eyes somewhat fiercely. No, he wouldn’t get his hopes up.

Before he zipped up his luggage, he reached for his lion plushie. It just didn’t feel right to leave him here and Yibo was convinced he slept better since having his fluffy friend next to him in bed. Seungyoun didn’t comment on it, but raised an amused eyebrow when he registered another fluffy something.

“You’re taking your cow onesie?? Really?”

Yibo pursed his lips, trying to appear unbothered even though his cheeks felt a little hot. He shrugged. “You know I get cold easily.”

“Sure,” Seungyoun agreed cheerfully. “And not at all because loverboy looked like he wanted to eat you the last time you wore it? Ah? Remember how worried you were and there he was, looking like a lovesick pup-”

“CAN YOU STOP?”

Yibo’s face resembled an overripe tomato when he pulled his suitcase past Seungyoun, ignoring his cackles. Well, maybe he was right. Maybe Yibo had enjoyed the way Xiao Zhan had gushed over him. Maybe it had made him feel a certain way and maybe, just maybe, he wanted to be cute for him again. That was his business alone, and he didn’t need to be called out for it!

“But I’m glad you had nothing to worry, Yibo,” Seungyoun said to his back, now serious, and Yibo almost stumbled as memories of Sunday bubbled up to the surface, bringing with them a slightly bitter taste in his mouth.

He swallowed it down, but the damage was done. It wasn’t Seungyoun’s fault, really. But his words had opened a wound that had only crusted over, still not fully healed.

Yibo chewed his bottom lip as he nodded, eyes averted and deep in thought once again.

He left the apartment before Seungyoun could notice his inner turmoil.

While Yibo was driving back to his ge, he was deep in thought, mulling over his behaviour. First and foremost, he had jumped to the awful conclusion that Xiao Zhan had reconsidered. That he didn’t want to be with Yibo after all and regretted their evening together. And it couldn’t have been further from the truth.

Yibo felt guilt wash over him again, almost making him pull his head in, when he remembered Xuan Lu’s words. When he imagined Xiao Zhan, injured, hurt and confused, and the first thing on his mind was the fact he was going to miss their dinner.

A pained groan escaped his throat, and he clutched the steering wheel a little tighter, forcing himself to pay attention to traffic.

He arrived at Xiao Zhan’s place safe and sound, but with an extra weight on his shoulders and when he shuffled inside, trailing his suitcase and carrying a bouquet of sunflowers, even Xiao Zhan’s snoozing form on the couch couldn’t quite dissipate the uncomfortable feeling in his chest.

So he sighed, put the flowers into a vase that he arranged on the couch table in front of Xiao Zhan and sat down, waiting for his ge to wake up.

Chapter Text

Chapter 16

When Xiao Zhan opened his eyes, got rid of the cobwebs of sleep and noticed the bouquet of flowers in front of him, he visibly lit up and the pressure in Yibo’s chest eased slightly. Xiao Zhan’s brilliant smile always had the power to cheer him up, even if it currently couldn’t go past an awkward half-smirk.

“Hey,” Yibo said softly and sent Xiao Zhan a small smile, trying to will down the restlessness in his bones. “How are you feeling?”

Xiao Zhan hummed, moving tentatively and screwing up his face, causing Yibo to be by his side within seconds to help him sit up, fluffing up the pillows for him and making sure he was sitting comfortably.

“Ah, thank you, Yibo,” Xiao Zhan said, and his sleep rough voice made Yibo’s insides flutter, goosebumps springing up all over his arms and he almost shook himself with it.

He cleared his throat instead, keeping still and sitting down on the edge of the couch, facing Xiao Zhan and being hyperaware of their closeness. If he didn’t have a heavy confession on the tip of his tongue, he would have appreciated the sight of a just woken up Xiao Zhan much more!

Alas, the way Xiao Zhan’s arm lingered on his wrist and slid down to squeeze his hand almost made him lose the plot.

At least the obvious way in which Xiao Zhan was looking for skin-on-skin contact succeeded in grounding him, and Yibo didn’t quite feel as flustered anymore.

Pulling his scattered thoughts together, he took a deep breath and opened his mouth. But before he could spill, Xiao Zhan groaned and squeezed his eyes shut.

“I’m still so annoyingly dizzy all the time. Especially when I don’t move carefully. Bit headachy. And my waist is killing me. Can you hand me more meds, please?”

“Of course! It won’t be long!”

Yibo rushed to the kitchen and collected the proper tablets carefully, not wanting to let Xiao Zhan suffer a second longer. Internally, he was pleased that gege had been honest with him and didn’t just pretend that everything was fine. He would talk to him later. After he was feeling a little more himself.

“Thanks, you’re an angel,” Xiao Zhan sighed when Yibo handed him a glass of water. Then he nodded at the flowers, a too gentle smile playing across his lips. “And thank you for those. They’re gorgeous. How did you know I love sunflowers?”

“I didn’t,” Yibo admitted and smoothed down the blanket covering Xiao Zhan’s chest. “But they reminded me of your smile.”

“Oh dear,” Xiao Zhan replied faintly and stared at him like he was trying to figure out something, maybe solve a puzzle or the mysteries of the universe.

Yibo cocked his head at him curiously, wondering what was on his mind. And whether Xiao Zhan knew what was on his own right now.

“You’re so endearingly honest sometimes, Yibo. It’s… it’s refreshing. I really like that about you.”

“Oh.”

Xiao Zhan’s equally honest response was not what Yibo had expected, and he lowered his gaze while smoothing down his hair, feeling fidgety and flustered as his heart helplessly doubled in size.

“Also,” Xiao Zhan continued, as if he didn’t just serve Yibo a mortal blow. “You smell like coffee…”

Before Yibo could answer, Xiao Zhan had taken a hold of his hand and moved it to his cheek, leaning into it carefully and closing his eyes, unaware of what his innocent gesture was doing to Yibo’s insides and oblivious to his completely frozen state.

Yibo didn’t even dare breathe, eyes wide open and taking in Xiao Zhan’s content expression as he nuzzled against his palm, trying to process the tingly sensation concentrating where they touched and running all the way up his arm.

His breathing became a little uneven and images of their heated kiss and make-out session on Saturday night invaded his mind, because how couldn’t they? Those cherished memories lived in his head 24/7, just under the surface, ready to be relived and, hopefully, soon repeated.

Right now, while Xiao Zhan was injured and in pain, Yibo had repressed those urges, not wanting to be selfish, and deciding that romancing was not on the menu. But the way his gege was searching for his touch and wanted him to be close made him reconsider. Was he being too mindful? Sure, Xiao Zhan’s recovery was a priority, but it didn’t mean he had to hold back his affections.

Yibo’s face fell.

Or was his mind still caught up with what happened on Sunday, his breakdown? With an uncomfortable feeling in his stomach, Yibo wondered whether he was holding back because remnants of that doubt were still in place, and he took a shaky breath, causing Xiao Zhan to open his eyes and look at him.

The sight made him frown, and Yibo regretted being so transparent with his feelings.

In a panic, he reached out and cupped Xiao Zhan’s face, not wanting him to think that Yibo was the one regretting anything. Would his actions have made him doubt? Should Yibo have been more forward? Was Xiao Zhan even thinking that, or was it just Yibo’s imagination?

With a rapidly beating heart and his mind scattered this way and that, he leaned in and placed a kiss on Xiao Zhan’s uninjured cheek, feeling his own lips tremble and closing his eyes.

Their nearness made him calm down a little, and the fluttering in his chest was only partly due to anxiety now.

But still, when he leaned back, Xiao Zhan had a concerned look on his face.

“Yibo. Dear. What’s wrong?”

The careful question almost pulled his heart out and Yibo pressed his shaky lips together firmly, suddenly unable to look Xiao Zhan in the eyes, feeling out of sync with himself and confused. Guilt washed over him, threatening to pull him under.

Yibo had to scratch and claw to stay above it all, but as soon as he forced his gaze up to look at Xiao Zhan, his patient and gentle expression showing a hint of worry, he knew he had to be honest.

“I made a mistake,” Yibo admitted, voice breathless and chest squeezing. Quickly, he continued.

“On Sunday, when I couldn’t contact you and… I… the first thought I had was that you reconsidered. That you regretted what happened the night before.”

Xiao Zhan remained silent, the slight widening of his eyes the only outward reaction he showed.

“I shouldn’t have doubted you. I knew… I realized it was silly, and I was overreacting, but still I went there.”

Yibo hugged himself and sniffled, feeling incredibly vulnerable right now.

“I feel awful and …not worthy of you.”

“Yibo.”

His name, spoken so firmly, made Yibo shut up immediately, heart beating painfully heavy in his throat and hands sweaty. Admitting to his faults was harder than he ever thought. Especially to someone so dear to him, someone he was in love with.

“I want to tell you that your worries were silly, but you already know that, ah?”

Yibo nodded meekly, playing with his fingers. Xiao Zhan didn’t sound mad or disappointed. That was good!

“I’m sorry. For ever thinking that,” he said in a small voice and looked mournfully at his gege.

But Xiao Zhan dismissed his apology and took a hold of his hand lying in his lap. He squeezed reassuringly and Yibo perked up.

“I understand how hard it can be to not get lost in your own head sometimes,” Xiao Zhan began carefully. “So I can relate to where you’re coming from. It was… let’s say, it was very unfortunate timing after… after that beautiful night we had and where we left it. And I don’t blame you.”

Yibo hummed, squeezing Xiao Zhan’s hand in return and letting his thumb run over the back of his hand. Gege was too good to him! It made him want to soar, but also be a better person. He still felt like he had let him down.

“I see you’re still worried about something,” Xiao Zhan suggested, perceptive as ever, and Yibo let out a long exhale.

“I feel I let you down,” he admitted and listened to Xiao Zhan’s low chuckle.

“Well, I felt I let you down after not contacting you. I was worried you would reconsider after I didn’t hold my word.”

Yibo gasped and shook his head, feeling outraged.

“But ge!” he exclaimed and looked at him urgently. “That was not your fault, you were hit by a car!”

Xiao Zhan shrugged, but looked at him evenly and Yibo’s mouth fell open with a silent “oh” as the meaning of Xiao Zhan’s words sank in.

“Your feelings and worries aren’t always reasonable. We’re both not perfect,” Xiao Zhan said and let his hand run soothingly down Yibo’s arm. “Don’t be so hard on yourself.”

Yibo nodded, a weight lifting off his shoulders and being replaced by nothing but love and tenderness.

Xiao Zhan huffed softly once he saw the change in his expression.

“You silly boy,” he teased, an amused smile on his face and the next moment he had Yibo’s chin loosely between his fingers, tipping up his face and urging him closer, until their lips met in a soft, careful kiss that sent shockwaves to Yibo’s brain, making the hair at the back of his neck stand up.

It was chaste and attentive, a lingering brushing of lips. And it had Yibo vibrating and melting on the spot. He wanted to whine, to sigh and his head felt empty as well as full as his heart fluttered delightfully in his chest, ready to jump right out.

When Xiao Zhan leaned back after what felt like an eternity, his lips were shiny, his eyes full of affection and Yibo couldn’t decide where to look, eyes darting up and down until they rested on Xiao Zhan’s slightly crinkled eyes. Even the bluish-purple bruises and scratches on his face couldn’t keep him from shining brighter than the entire galaxy, and it punched the air out of Yibo’s lungs to see once again just how beautiful Xiao Zhan was.

“You know I’m serious about you, ah?” Xiao Zhan asked, then, and Yibo took a moment to process the question, still caught up and lost in his eyes.

“Yeah,” he whispered and nodded. Oh, he knew. Yibo believed Xiao Zhan. But he also believed that their relationship was fresh and nothing ever went smoothly. As long as they were both honest with each other and their feelings, they could overcome every obstacle.

Suddenly, the world was brighter again, his worries dissipating, seeming smaller than he had made them out to be in his head.

Yibo grinned at his ge and it felt freeing, somehow. Freeing to no longer carry the baggage of his tangled feelings. It felt soothing to know that Xiao Zhan also struggled with dark thoughts sometimes. That he fretted and worried. Yibo was convinced that it would all be a thing of the past soon.

Their story had only just begun, after all.

It appeared that Xiao Zhan was not quite done with their heart-to-heart, as he took a deep breath and continued speaking, holding on to Yibo’s left hand and tracing the shape of his fingers. It would be more distracting if Yibo’s eyes weren’t glued to gege’s face and if he didn’t hang onto his every word.

“You’re wonderful, Yibo,” Xiao Zhan said. “You’re talented, hard-working, you have a dream and you follow that dream, no matter what. I admire that about you and think you’re very brave. And cool. Sometimes, I feel very boring in comparison.”

Yibo huffed, shaking his head immediately, despite the all-encompassing warmth Xiao Zhan’s words made him feel.

“You’re not boring at all, ge. You’re funny, witty, confident… you’re so good with words, successful, talented and hot an-”

“Aiyaaa, Lao Wang! Please stop with the rainbow farting!” Xiao Zhan interrupted him and covered his flushed face with his hands while giggling manically.

Yibo grinned in response, feeling accomplished.

“I’m not rainbow farting, ge. Those are my true feelings,” he argued, prompting Xiao Zhan to snort and pin him with a flat stare that was more fond than exasperated.

“You know, I believe you. Too honest, Lao Wang!”

Yibo grinned some more and made Xiao Zhan sigh deeply.

“Also, too handsome!”

“Gege is also too handsome. Especially when he smiles.” Yibo threw the compliment back at him, feeling like they were in the middle of a verbal tennis match. He didn’t plan to lose. “I was attracted to your smile first,” he continued, voice going infinitely soft.

Xiao Zhan gave a content hum in response and squeezed Yibo’s fingers. But his eyes suddenly seemed far away, as if he was remembering something.

“Did you bring your skateboard?” Xiao Zhan asked out of nowhere and Yibo had to blink before replying.

“Uh, yes?”

Then his eyebrows rose as he remembered Xuan Lu’s words from the day before.

You should ask him about the skateboard.

Yibo had had other things on his mind back then and dismissed the statement. It seemed like Xiao Zhan was getting ready to tell him of his own accord now, so Yibo adjusted his position on the edge of the couch, curious about where this was going.

“Let me tell you a little story, ah?”

Yibo nodded attentively and kept his mouth shut, feeling like he was sitting on hot coals with the way this seemed so meaningful to Xiao Zhan. And he had absolutely no clue what was coming.

“Picture a hard-working man sitting at his desk in his office on the 8^th floor, working on a new project. Picture him sitting there before the sun rises and picture him leaving when the moon is already up, and the stars are out.

Imagine the same scenario, almost every day. The man is happy, he thinks. He is his own boss and works for himself, within a team, and he enjoys what he does. He is good at what he’s doing. Focused and successful.

When he leaves, he doesn’t look up at the sky to see the stars.

When he arrives, he doesn’t take a deep breath and ignores the sun rising outside his office window.

Eventually, the man begins to feel incomplete. He receives joy and validation from his line of work, but there is a part of him, a growing part, that feels like something is missing. And he starts wondering.

One day, he sits at his desk, and it is one of those days where nothing goes right. A client is unhappy, he stayed up too late, didn’t eat enough and now feels headachy and burned out.

He lifts his head and looks out of the window, onto the scene below. Something he had never paid much attention to before. Despite the level he’s on, he can make out people. A lot of people in suits walking into the building, carrying folders or laptop bags. They all turn into one. All look the same.

Then suddenly there is a bright flash of colour in between the masses and the man perks up, looking closer.

A young man on his skateboard, wearing a pink jacket and skating almost recklessly against the flow, with the wind in his hair.

The man can’t make out his features, but something about the figure sets him apart from everyone else. He looks vibrant and somehow more alive amidst the monotone.

In this moment, the man gasps and, for the first time, he sees something very clearly.

He is a part of this machine. Part of a never-ending mechanism. He clocks in; he clocks out. He even wears the same clothes! If he was down there, he wouldn’t stand out.

Truly, he knows his job is right for him, but the revelation that it was all he has, hits him hard.

When had he stopped taking breaks, just sitting on a park bench and admiring the surrounding scenery? When had he stopped pausing when something interesting caught his eyes? When had he stopped taking photographs of lovely things and when had he last looked up at the night sky, fully aware of the beauty surrounding him?

The man knows that his job allows him a level of creativity. But it isn’t enough. His life isn’t truly living. There is no variety and no time for himself to look, to try, to discover. He isn’t living life to the fullest and isn’t taking advantage of the thousands of opportunities around him.

From that point on, he changes. Slowly, gradually, and not without setbacks.

And the world becomes colourful again.

The figure on the skateboard has become the catalyst of this realization. A beacon of hope and someone he thrived to be like. Every morning he looks out of the window and when he sees the figure on the skateboard, he smiles. There is an unquestionable pull he feels, and he is almost ready to act on it.

He knows the skater boy works in a café across the road and eventually he walks down on his lunch break, heart beating nervously in his chest. When he enters the shop and his eyes fall on the barista, he knows.

He found his skater boy and with it, the last missing piece within him clicks into place.”

Silence followed Xiao Zhan’s story. There was no doubt who the man and the skater boy were, and Yibo was currently in a state of hysteria, floored by what Xiao Zhan had revealed, not sure whether he wanted to laugh or cry, scream or dissolve into a puddle of goo on the ground.

His soul might have left his body altogether and was floating somewhere close to the ceiling, gazing down on them. At least this was the only way he could explain his frozen body, the way he had almost stopped breathing, and how his brain couldn’t form a single straight thought.

“So…so... you had...feelings for me before we even met?” he repeated in a stuttered whisper, voice rough and caught up in a myriad of different emotions. Most of it was awe and stunned disbelief. Something like this… It was almost too surreal, too uncanny to be true. The fact that Yibo was just being… well, just being himself and had unknowingly had such a huge impact on Xiao Zhan’s life filled him with a sense of destiny, and a shiver ran down his spine. Had they always been fated to find each other in this life?

He knew he had basically lost his heart to Xiao Zhan the moment he laid eyes upon him, so the existence of fate shouldn’t surprise him.

Xiao Zhan hummed his confirmation and squeezed Yibo’s hand, effectively pulling him back into his body and he took a slightly shaky breath, remembering he had to breathe or would pass out soon. The lightheadedness dissipated almost instantly.

“I might have been a little… ah… overly dramatic, but that’s basically the gist of it. How I became aware of you and… how I knew I had to meet you. And yes, I somehow knew you would be special to me.”

He laughed a little sheepishly and lowered his gaze, as if he was embarrassed and as if Yibo wasn’t currently looking at him like he hung the moon.

“I didn’t know how to approach you…” Xiao Zhan admitted almost shyly and shrugged, looking too cute for his own good.

“It had been a while, and I felt like I was a teenager again, trying to get his crush’s attention. In the end, I kept my distance and just watched you. Carefully.”

Yibo almost choked on nothing but air as Xiao Zhan’s words hit him, dealing one fatal blow after another, making his heart swell with so much love and affection. A little more of it, of Xiao Zhan’s honest and sweet words, and he would burst wide open.

“You were attracted to my smile,” Xiao Zhan said, sounding incredibly fond. “And I was attracted to your concentrated face while you made coffee. And your hands.”

“Hands…?” Yibo repeated, head swimming and experiencing another bout of weightlessness. He clutched harder at Xiao Zhan’s hand and felt him brush his thumb over his knuckles, humming again.

“Such big hands. The milk jug looked so small…”

Xiao Zhan giggled, a pink flush covering his cheeks, while Yibo was screaming internally, not sure what to do with the flood of confessions that kept coming and coming.

He could do nothing but soak it up and keep those words close to his hearts.

“I started coming every day. And I didn’t even drink coffee.”

Yibo pulled in a sharp breath of air, choked and began coughing violently, tears running down his cheeks and hiding his face behind his forearm. But still, he managed to send an outraged look Xiao Zhan’s way.

“You didn’t drink coffee??” he wheezed, gaping at this silly, beautiful, ridiculous gege, open-mouthed and speechless.

Xiao Zhan seemed to find his reaction amusing, based on the half-smirk on his face and the way his eyes showed a brilliant glimmer.

“Mn, I used to drink black tea only,” he confessed. “But I wanted to see the barista.”

“Wow!”

“I know, right?”

Still tongue-tied, Yibo just stared at his ge. Stared at him and was hit by a wave of gratitude. Gratitude to the universe for making their paths cross. For making them notice each other.

But in the end, was it really the universe?

“I’m glad you came down that day,” Yibo said softly and swallowed, not wanting to think of what had happened if Xiao Zhan had decided that admiring him from afar was all he needed.

He pushed that thought away again quickly.

“And I’m glad you were brave enough to take the first step,” Xiao Zhan admitted. “To show me you are interested. If not… well, I might have not been brave enough to approach you first. I knew I was probably a little older than you…and didn’t want to act inappropriately.”

Yibo chewed on his bottom lip, thinking that Xiao Zhan was plenty brave as well. But he also had a point. Yibo did make the first step. Despite his nervousness, he had shown gege he cared about him. And it had worked out.

Yes, Yibo thought, as he smiled brilliantly at Xiao Zhan. He could be proud of himself.

“Xiao Zhan,” he asked, the smile not leaving his face. “Are you officially my boyfriend now?”

Xiao Zhan hummed and lifted Yibo's hand up to his face. Then he proceeded to kiss the back of his hand, continued with his knuckles and finished with his palm, all while Yibo trembled under his soft touches and the warm brush of his lips against his skin.

“Boyfriend, friend, partner. I'll be everything and more.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 17

“Have you been in many relationships, ge?” Yibo asked as he prepared dinner in the kitchen, or better: heated up a rice dish that Xuan Lu had previously prepared. He still felt giddy excitement rush through his veins after everything Xiao Zhan had said to him and after finally being able to call him his boyfriend.

“I wasn’t just joking when I said I was married to my business for most of my 20s,” Xiao Zhan admitted and let out a long sigh. “So no, I was not. The last serious one I had was back at university and after that it was more the casual kind here and there. And you?”

“Only one so far,” Yibo said, and shrugged. “But it didn’t last very long. He was only interested in my body, after all.”

He padded over, almost stumbling over Jianguo, who rushed towards her feeder, trying to not think about his asshole of an ex and let him ruin his good mood. 

Xiao Zhan accepted the container and chopsticks with a muttered thanks but didn’t start eating yet. “I’m sorry it turned out like that. That guy sounds like a loser.”

He frowned darkly and Yibo urged him to eat before his food went cold.

“I’m over it,” Yibo said. “And you’re right. His loss.”

“My gain,” Xiao Zhan mused and tried winking again.

Yibo thought he was probably going for sexy or seductive, but it was so cute he couldn’t help giggling, all thoughts of his ex immediately forgotten.

They spent the evening together on the couch, talking and laughing. Xiao Zhan was all small smiles and bright eyes and Yibo was the same, if not worse. He scolded himself that he didn’t realize it immediately when Xiao Zhan’s face gradually became paler, and the smile vanished.

“Ge?” he asked, alarmed, and felt his forehead.

Xiao Zhan hummed weakly and sulked in response. His skin wasn’t overly warm, although somewhat clammy, and Yibo frowned darkly.

“Why didn’t you say you were unwell?” he asked, feeling a little miffed that Xiao Zhan would hide his feelings. Of course, he hadn’t recovered yet, would probably still take a good while to overcome his injuries, but he thought the tablets would be effective for longer.

“Didn’t want to ruin the mood,” Xiao Zhan muttered apologetically and winced. “Can I have more pain medication, please?”

“I’m not sure…” Yibo replied fretfully, feeling torn. On one hand, he didn’t want to see Xiao Zhan suffer, but on the other, he wasn’t due for another hour. Reluctantly, he told Xiao Zhan and watched him lean back in defeat, closing his eyes.

Yibo almost went weak and got the pills. Screw the rules. But before he could jump up, Xiao Zhan grabbed his wrist.

“I…I’ll manage until then. Can’t have Ziyi scream at me, ah? It’s just a little nausea and soreness. At least my head doesn’t hurt too much.”

The smile on Yibo’s face was bittersweet. “Gege, you really don’t have to downplay anything. You’ve nothing to prove to your boyfriend.”

Xiao Zhan exhaled deeply after his statement, fidgeting around a little.

“Then…please help me to the bathroom, boyfriend. I’m about to throw up.”

They made it just in time for Xiao Zhan to retch pitifully into the toilet. Yibo had tried his hardest to hold him up and make sure he wouldn’t bump his knees, but his gege was just too tall and Yibo struggled with his weight.

He was currently rubbing Xiao Zhan’s back and heaving shoulders while holding his bangs back with his other hand, feeling a little helpless and hoping he wouldn’t need to call an ambulance.

When Xiao Zhan seemed to be done, Yibo pressed the flush and hugged his ge loosely from the back, not wanting to cause him any more pain.

Xiao Zhan was panting, head hanging low, and Yibo pressed a quick kiss against the back of his neck, tempted by the bare skin and desperate to comfort him.

“Feeling a bit better now?” he whispered and tried encouraging Xiao Zhan to at least sit down and not remain in this awkward position on his knees.

A grunt was all the reply he got. Better than nothing.

When Xiao Zhan sat on the cold floor, back against the bathtub and looking utterly miserable, Yibo quickly got up and prepared a warm towel and a glass of water.

“Let me clean your face, baobei,” he whispered and started dabbing at the sweaty skin, mindful to not press onto the bruises. Xiao Zhan didn’t complain and even drank half of the water obediently.

After, Yibo took his face in his hands and placed a soft kiss on Xiao Zhan’s brow. Then on his cheek and finally, the corner of his mouth.

“Gross,” Xiao Zhan muttered as he moved his head to the side and huffed, hiding his mouth behind the back of his hand and narrowing his eyes at Yibo. “I just vomited my guts out and you wanna kiss?”

Yibo shrugged, unbothered.

“I didn’t use tongue, okay?” he defended himself and just because he wanted to make a point, he leaned in again and placed a cheeky kiss against gege’s jaw, ignoring his protests.

It took some effort to get Xiao Zhan up again and even more effort to talk him into trying to eat a little bit of broth at least, so he didn’t have to take his meds on an empty stomach.

“I think it was all the excitement,” Xiao Zhan said after forcing down some food, Yibo’s eagle eyes on him.

“It can be a symptom of concussions though,” Yibo said, glad now that he read up beforehand. “You just have to rest even more, especially if your head still hurts so much when you get stimulated.”

“Okay, Doctor Wang,” Xiao Zhan agreed and did his awkward wink again, hissing through his teeth.

Yibo reached out to cup his cheek, then kiss him on the nose. Now that he was allowed, he took every chance to show his affection, knowing that Xiao Zhan enjoyed it, despite his weak protests from earlier.

“If you keep it in for a little longer and drink more tea, you can have your meds,” Yibo whispered generously and squeezed his ge’s knee. “You didn’t hurt yourself anymore, right?”

“No, no new injuries. Only what’s already there,” Xiao Zhan admitted sadly and took a tiny sip of chamomile tea while petting his waist. “I’ll use some of the ointment after I had a shower.”

“I’ll help you,” Yibo immediately volunteered and flushed at his own eagerness. “I mean… I’ll help you apply the ointment if it’s hard for you to reach.”

Xiao Zhan pursed his lips, eyes becoming a little brighter again.

“Okay, Lao Wang,” he said gravely. “I think I can’t reach anywhere, actually.”

“Gege!”

“What?” Xiao Zhan asked innocently, the corner of his mouth twitching. “You offered.”

Well, he was right.

Xiao Zhan reassured Yibo several times that he was fine having a shower, instead of the bath Yibo recommended, and that once the meds kicked in, he would be even more fine and should use that time to be productive.

“You should have a shower too, ah? Or a bath, after the long day at work,” Xiao Zhan suggested, but Yibo shook his head stubbornly.

“I’ll wait until you’re done.”

“Aiya, what do you think will happen? I won’t faint. I’m not feeling dizzy anymore. Promise!”

Yibo narrowed his eyes at him until Xiao Zhan squirmed, then finally caved.

While the water was on, Yibo paced around the bedroom, laying out a new set of pyjamas and the ointment he would apply to his ge’s bruises.

The thought left him feeling all tingly and nervous, and a little lightheaded. He couldn’t embarrass himself here! Xiao Zhan was very vulnerable right now and needed his help. Yibo wouldn’t make this a … a sexual thing. He wouldn’t think any dirty thoughts at all and pull himself together! The idea of taking advantage of his poor drugged up and hurting gege made him feel ashamed of himself and he glared darkly at his crotch, warning his body to not betray him!

Alas, it was harder said than done. Now that they were an item, those thoughts that were usually only reserved for his bedroom at night would become a reality soon! He wouldn’t have to fantasize about sexy times with handsome gege any more but would experience it.

When Xiao Zhan walked out of the bathroom, wet hair dripping and wearing only a bathrobe, Yibo’s resolution almost went out the window and he gulped noisily, praying for restraint.

First, he had to get Xiao Zhan dressed again. Once he wasn’t tempted by maddening glimpses of skin any longer, he would be fine and in no imminent danger of jumping him.

So with a meaningful look, Yibo nudged the clothes closer to his ge and tactfully turned around, pointedly ignoring the little chuckle.

But oh, did it make his skin break out in goosebumps and he only just suppressed a whole-body shudder.

“I’m decent again,” Xiao Zhan said after a moment and Yibo exhaled, turned around and his mouth fell open.

“Ge! You… that looks so painful, oh my god!”

Not even the sight of Xiao Zhan’s naked torso could distract him from the horrid-looking bruises covering his side, all angry purple, blue and faded yellow, and Yibo winced, upset he didn’t have the power to make them go away instantly.

“Relax, Yibao, okay? It’s not as bad as it looks. And if I’m careful, it doesn’t hurt a lot.”

“Are you sure your ribs are not broken? Because it looks to me-”

“Aiya, yes, the doctor said so. Will you help me put on the cream?”

Xiao Zhan turned doleful brown puppy eyes towards him and Yibo’s legs moved on their own, his whole being unable to resist Xiao Zhan’s request. Even though he was still shocked at the sight, he tried to believe his ge.

“You just have to rub it in, okay?”

“Mn,” Yibo replied, fighting with himself. He’d have his hands on Xiao Zhan’s naked skin any moment now.

Now, this is not appropriate for the occasion. Yibo, don’t go there!!

He tried to remain calm with all his might, but as soon as he touched Xiao Zhan’s skin, he got hit by a bolt of electricity that went straight to his lower regions, pooling there and spreading hotness throughout his abdomen. Panicky, Yibo pressed a little too hard and Xiao Zhan yelped.

“Sorry, sorry!” Yibo said, voice rough and oddly breathless.
“I’ll be more careful,” he promised and continued, keeping his breathing even and ignoring the heat rushing through him.

This was ridiculous! One look at a half-naked Xiao Zhan had him behaving like a teenager. How embarrassing!

At least if Xiao Zhan wasn’t injured, he didn’t have to hold back. But this… this was so, so hard! After everything he had imagined them doing. After holding back at the dance studio. Yibo was more than ready for it, but he firmly believed that Xiao Zhan wasn’t in any shape or form to take their relationship to the next level just yet.

He kept rubbing in the ointment, not rushing it but also trying not to linger and not to think too hard about the way Xiao Zhan’s skin felt under his fingertips. He even forcefully had his eyes locked on the patch of skin he was working on, forbidding himself to even look at the man’s chest too closely or let his eyes roam further down where he had earlier seen a trail of dark hair…

Yibo bit his cheek to keep himself from screaming and concentrated on what he was doing.

Xiao Zhan was quiet. Too quiet. After a while, Yibo chanced a glimpse upward and his breath almost caught in his throat as he took in his gege, eyes closed, head thrown back and biting his bottom lip. He looked somewhat pressed, and Yibo tapped his wrist.

“Ge, are you okay?”

Xiao Zhan snorted in response, then opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling.

“Ah, you know,” he began and cleared his throat. “I’m coming to the realization that this was a very bad idea. And I don’t mean because you’re doing a bad job. Not at all. Thanks for this, Yibo.”

“You’re welcome. Why are you staring at the ceiling?”

Xiao Zhan fidgeted in response and let out an awkward chuckle.

“You see, if I look down, I would see your hands. On my waist. I’m very fond of your hands, Yibo.”

He trailed off meaningfully and Yibo almost choked on air. Oh, well. Maybe he had underestimated Xiao Zhan. Maybe his ge’s attraction to him was more powerful than he had thought, and he almost slapped himself. Of course it was. If Yibo was struggling, so was Xiao Zhan.

He suddenly had images flashing through his mind. Images of Xiao Zhan watching him eat and spacing out. Xiao Zhan staring at his lips, Xiao Zhan playing with his fingers, Xiao Zhan kissing him and letting his hands slip under his shirt.

Carefully and with his heart beating quickly in his chest, Yibo removed his hands. Xiao Zhan wanted him. Had wanted him for a while. His gege’s self-restraint was almost worse than Yibo’s! But then, based on what Yibo knew now, it had been a while since Xiao Zhan had seen some action. There was a good chance Yibo had more recent experience, and the thought made him shiver delightfully.

He knew without a doubt that gege wasn’t like his ex. He wanted and desired all of Yibo.

And he didn’t rush him, didn’t put him under pressure in any way! Yibo loved him so, so much!

But alas, he stood by his decision to not start anything while Xiao Zhan hadn’t recovered.

So without a word, he reached for the pyjama shirt and helped Xiao Zhan put it on. He even buttoned it up for him, all while the fire in his abdomen was simmering slowly.

Once he finished the top button and let out an internal sigh of relief and regret, he met Xiao Zhan’s flat stare.

“I imagined-”

“Don’t say it,” Yibo interrupted, a slightly manic laugh stuck in his throat.

But Xiao Zhan only petted his shoulder and continued.

“I imagined that to be the other way round…you know.”

He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and made Yibo groan into his hands.

“Ge, I’m struggling already,” he muttered into his hands and felt Xiao Zhan’s fingers carding through his hair. It was a pretty nice feeling, so he stayed like that, only humming contentedly from time to time.

“Big time, Yibo. But I did it to myself, ah? I guess saying that you don’t have to hold back is a little too early, right?”

And this man would be the death of him! Xiao Zhan made him know he wanted it, but still gave him an out. Would wait if Yibo needed more time, after all.

It made Yibo smile, and he looked up into Xiao Zhan’s tender eyes, then he wrapped his arms around his neck and massaged his shoulders gently.

“I’m ready. But not while you’re hurting. That… it wouldn’t feel right.”

With a sigh, Xiao Zhan nodded, looking a little deflated but accepting.

Yibo darted forward to place a quick kiss on the mole under his lips.

“We can still do this,” he whispered and stroked along Xiao Zhan’s arm until he reached his hand and intertwined their fingers.

“Mn, we do,” Xiao Zhan said back, eyes going a little half-lidded, and Yibo almost started whimpering.

The way this man made him feel so strongly… he had never experienced anything like it!

“But I guess that’s reasonable, ah? I wouldn’t want to pass out or vomit on you while we’re in the middle of the act,” Xiao Zhan explained with a straight face, prompting Yibo to start coughing.

“Thanks for the visuals, ge,” he muttered and narrowed his eyes at him.

In the end, Yibo made a point of tucking Xiao Zhan into bed, bringing him another mug of tea, and telling him about the rest of his week. Xiao Zhan listened attentively, but Yibo noticed his eyelids droop. With a fond smile on his face, he watched his love fall asleep, in awe of his beauty, and how soft and innocent his features looked when fully relaxed.

“Sleep well, gege,” he whispered, leaned down and pressed a careful kiss onto his brow. Then he tiptoed to the door, switched off the lights, and left the door slightly ajar.

Chapter Text

Chapter 18

The next days passed in a flurry, and slowly, Xiao Zhan got better. Even though he remained careful, he had regained most of his mobility by the end of the week, and his headaches and nausea weren’t as constant anymore. Yibo had to remind him to not overdo it a few times, especially when Xiao Zhan picked up his laptop to read his work emails and ended up sleeping the day away, a wet cloth over his eyes and whining pitifully.

“The doctor said to ease into it carefully,” Yibo stressed after handing him his daily dose of medication. “You can’t even watch TV properly yet. Let your brain recover, okay?”

“Mn,” Xiao Zhan muttered in defeat and held out his arms demandingly. With a huff, Yibo indulged him, sitting down next to him and letting Xiao Zhan pull him against his chest, where he rested his cheek, listening to the even thump, thump, thump of his heart and feeling his own heartbeat answer just as loudly.

His own week had been busy, but Yibo enjoyed every moment of it. On a normal day, he woke up before the sun rose, made breakfast for Xiao Zhan and himself, cuddled with Jianguo (and Xiao Zhan!), went to work, came home and spent some time with his ge, then left again for dance practice.

After all, they didn’t have that much time during the day together, but the fact that Yibo was currently still staying in Xiao Zhan’s guest room made it easier to deal with. They always had their mornings and evenings and some time in between.

And Yibo was still on cloud nine.

Maybe he had overdone it a little at work, when Jackson presented him with a list detailing how often Yibo had said the word ‘boyfriend’ and he huffed, feeling offended and called out, while his co-workers cackled around him.

“I get it though,” Zhang Jingyi said and gave him a cheeky smile. “If I wasn’t gay, I would definitely ask him out. He has this gentleman-but-can-turn-feral energy, if you know what I mean? It’s kinda hot.”

She winked at a spluttering Yibo, who assured everyone that Xiao Zhan was a sweetheart and, in fact, not feral and pretended to ignore it when Jackson threatened to show him the footage of the hot water incident.

“He is very polite.” Li Qin came to Yibo’s rescue and hit Jackson with a mop.

“I didn’t do anything!” Jackson defended himself and threw a dirty look at Zhang Jingyi, who was busying herself by wiping the front counter, a secret smirk on her face.

“Exactly!” Li Qin agreed. “You’re not doing anything. While you should be working! Get on with it!”

When the weekend came around, it brought with it the gala and another successful performance of ‘Versace on the Floor’. One stubborn part of Yibo felt like changing the choreography but another, more reasonable and pragmatic one, reminded him he didn’t have enough time and it wouldn’t change the fact that he was dancing for Xiao Zhan.

So Yibo aced it once again, his boyfriend’s smiling face and wide-eyed wonder on his mind.

Xiao Zhan had promised him to wait up, but in the end, Yibo didn’t make it home until after midnight, annoyed and exhausted, but still buzzing. Huang Bo had introduced him to more important people than he could keep track of and they all seemed so fascinated by him. Yibo had tried his best to be approachable and polite and was infinitely grateful for his teacher and his skills as a social butterfly. Even though some praises he sang made Yibo want to cry in embarrassment.

The constant socializing and mindless small-talk made him slightly uncomfortable and fidgety, but he knew how important it was to build connections in the industry. He bore it and stayed as long as Huang Bo found appropriate.

When he unlocked the door to Xiao Zhan’s house, that already felt like a home, Jianguo greeted him with a happy meow that put a relieved smile on Yibo’s face.

He took a deep breath, picked up the little fluffball currently rubbing against his legs, and cradled her like a baby.

The only light source within the room came from a string of fairylights hanging over Xiao Zhan’s window seat. He called it his reading nook and told Yibo that he would relax there after a hard day at work, and Yibo absolutely loved it. It was cozy and almost romantic.

Xiao Zhan was snoring on the couch, blanket half draped over himself and glasses wonky on his face. There was an open book on his lap, one for fun and not for work. With a small huff and a fond shake of his head, Yibo carefully arranged the blanket and took the glasses off his ge’s nose. Despite his earlier message about being late, Xiao Zhan had tried staying up. Until sleep and exhaustion claimed him.

Yibo felt infinitely tender for his stubborn boyfriend and he smoothed down the blanket before leaning in and placing the ghost of a kiss onto Xiao Zhan’s brow.

The bruises on his face had faded somewhat and his lip injury had almost healed completely. Yibo couldn’t contain a small, giddy grin. Their kisses had been soft and careful so far, but the memory of Xiao Zhan’s mouth devouring his always lingered just under the surface. He couldn’t wait to explore this certain sensation some more in the near future.

Even though Xiao Zhan claimed he couldn’t sleep very well on the couch, Yibo was loath to wake him up and reluctantly stood up again, eyes fixed on his peacefully sleeping gege and trying to burn the picture into his brain.

But as he turned around, his eyes fell on a covered plate on the couch table.

Curiously, he lifted the top, and despite his mindfulness, he let out a small gasp.

Oh no, his gege didn’t!

Yibo had to take a moment to close his eyes and just breathe, chock-full of emotions. Xiao Zhan had left him a small cupcake with a note tugged under it. With shaking and clumsy fingers, Yibo reached for it and blinked the wetness in the corners of his eyes away.

Yibo,

I hope I can tell you in person how incredibly proud I am of you, but I may be asleep when you return! I know I should take it easy, still, but earlier I felt a little restless and decided to bake something for you. Enjoy your late-night snack! Or save it for breakfast tomorrow 😊 I can’t wait to hear all about your night! See you in the morning, sweetheart xx

“Oh ge,” Yibo muttered under his breath and swallowed against the lump in his throat. He eyed the cake, then his sleeping boyfriend and just stared for a few moments, until Jianguo became a little too interested in what he had on his plate and Yibo shooed her away gently. Now he had to live with the highly offended look she gave him and decided to feed her some extra tuna in the morning. Anything for the princess. But not his cupcake!

After one last longing and love-filled look at Xiao Zhan, Yibo tiptoed up the stairs. And if he ate his treat in bed, while grinning like a lovesick fool, that was his business alone.

—

When Yibo woke up from a deep and healing slumber, feeling faint and familiar aches in his bones, he stretched contentedly and yawned. The sun was up and… and his clock showed 10:30am!

Xiao Zhan would be up already, Yibo was sure. He had diligently prepared him breakfast every day the last week and felt a little miffed he missed out on the opportunity today. A part of him knew that their time of living together would come to an end sooner than later, as Xiao Zhan hardly needed his help anymore, only the reminder to take it easy and rest and not work just yet.

While he was sitting up, scratching his head, there was a sudden knock on his door and Yibo jumped a little in the air.

“Yes!” he called out while smoothing down his hair, trying to look presentable. It occurred to him that Xiao Zhan hadn’t been in here yet, with Yibo waking up before the sun rose every morning and it filled him with some odd sense of nervousness and anticipation.

Xiao Zhan’s head popped in, and if he took Yibo’s breath away, he blamed it on his morning brain. Surely, he’d be used to Xiao Zhan’s beauty by now.

“Slept well?” Xiao Zhan asked and plopped down on the edge of the bed, a sweet smile on his face. He looked extremely lively this morning, even though his movements were still careful and slightly awkward. His bruises were all fading and Yibo was glad to see it.

“Mn,” he muttered. “Came back late after midnight.”

He sent Xiao Zhan a soft, grateful smile, before bridging the distance between them and catching his lips in a lazy morning kiss that had his ge melt against him and hold on to his shoulders.

“Thank you, ge,” he whispered against Xiao Zhan’s lips when they parted for breath and felt his grasp on him tighten. “For the lovely note. And the cake. I ate it last night. It was delicious!”

Xiao Zhan laughed and leaned back in to press a kiss on the tip of his nose, then hug him close and bury his face against his shoulder. Yibo hung on, helpless and in love and with a heart as big as a house.

“You’re welcome,” Xiao Zhan murmured against his collarbone and Yibo almost moaned at how good it felt. “I was thinking of you the whole night.”

Xiao Zhan leaned back and turned curious eyes towards him. “You blew everyone’s mind?”

Yibo dismissed his words with an eye roll, but internally he preened, and the pleased grin on his face gave him away.

“It went well. I met a lot of important people. But in the end, I just needed to get outta there. Back to you.”

He placed a quick kiss against Xiao Zhan’s smooth jaw, only a little sad that gege had shaved recently.

“Well, I’m glad to have my Yibo back,” Xiao Zhan said with feeling and untangled himself. “Breakfast will be served when you’re ready.”

“Oh!”

“Mn,” Xiao Zhan confirmed and tugged on Yibo’s hand. “You spoiled me so hard the last week, it’s only fair I return the favour. I made pancakes!”

Breakfast was delicious, and Yibo stuffed himself as he recounted his day at the gala. Encouraged by Xiao Zhan’s attentive gaze and curious eyes, he almost stumbled over his words, talking until he was a little hoarse and cleared his throat.

“That all sounds so exciting, Yibo, aaaah, one of those days I’ll have to come and watch you!” Xiao Zhan expressed his support and poured a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice that Yibo gulped down gratefully, warmth and happiness settling in his guts and making his eyes light up.

“You can always come and watch me, ge,” Yibo replied, soaking up the support. “But I enjoy dancing for you alone, too.”

Xiao Zhan’s face was nothing but tender when he reached over and squeezed Yibo’s wrist. “And I love it. All of it. I’m imagining myself in a crowd, watching you next to other people. Knowing that you are mine.”

A little gasp fell from Yibo’s lips, and he shivered at the intensity of Xiao Zhan’s statement. When they locked eyes, his heart fluttered. There was a fire in Xiao Zhan’s gaze. He remembered it very well from that night at the studio.

“Yours,” he whispered in a breathless voice. “I’m yours.”

Before anything else could happen, Yibo’s phone vibrated on the couch table and he jerked, very unhappy at being reminded that the outside world existed.

“You better check that, ah?” Xiao Zhan encouraged him with a wink that didn’t look quite as awkward anymore and, slightly deflated, Yibo padded towards his phone.

It turned out that Seungyoun missed him, after all, and asked if Yibo was free to catch up for lunch and skateboarding.

At first, Yibo wanted to suggest another day, but a part of him also missed his roommate. While chewing on his bottom lip, he agreed to see Seungyoun. He would still have the late afternoon and evening to spend with his ge, and Xiao Zhan didn’t seem mad when Yibo told him of his decision.

“Good idea,” he agreed as he cleared the table. “It’s supposed to rain in the evening so you should use the nice weather before, ah? Say hi to Younnie!”

“Mn, I won’t be late. Maybe we can watch a movie tonight?”

In the end, the predicted rain arrived earlier than expected and Yibo cursed as he speed-walked towards Xiao Zhan’s suburb, skateboard under his arm. He regretted not having taken the car now and blinked the wetness out of his eyes as he squinted down the sidewalk. The rain was already too heavy to skate safely and an ominous rumbling in the distance made Yibo walk even faster, heart in his throat. Next to darkness and bugs, thunderstorms were on his most-hated list, and he prayed with all his might that he wouldn’t get caught in it.

When lightning lit up the sky only a few seconds later, Yibo’s steps faltered, and he almost stumbled, skateboard falling out of his grasp and cluttering onto the pavement. With a panicky feeling in his stomach, he bent down to pick up his board, rainwater running into his eyes and down his neck. Maybe he should have taken Xiao Zhan up on his offer to pick him up. But Yibo had been stubborn, reassuring Xiao Zhan that he wasn’t far away and that he wasn’t allowed to drive his car just yet.

By now, Yibo was only two blocks away and after another lightning strike and thunder that sounded much closer than a few moments earlier, he started running, terror moving him along and Yibo arrived in front of Xiao Zhan’s place panting, heart racing and drenched.

He was dripping with it, hair plastered flat to his head and clothes sticking uncomfortably to his body. Even his shoes were soaked and he faintly registered the squelching noises he made when rushing up the stairs to the front door, taking two at a time.

The lights were on and as soon as Yibo arrived, Xiao Zhan pulled the door open. Yibo only managed to toe off his shoes before he was resolutely pulled inside, enveloped by a towel and warm air and, most importantly, Xiao Zhan’s arms.

“Aiya, you look like you took a swim!” Xiao Zhan’s voice sounded loud in his ears after the background noise of the raging and growing storm was locked away behind the closed front door and Yibo needed a moment to calm down his erratic breathing. He still felt on edge and wired up, so he remained quiet and let Xiao Zhan dry his hair for him.

“You’re shaking!” Xiao Zhan exclaimed and reached out to cup his clammy cheek, concern in his eyes. “Must be freezing. I’ll run you a bath, ah?”

Yibo nodded meekly, not correcting Xiao Zhan but following him to the bathroom, leaving small puddles of water on the wooden floorboards. He wasn’t cold, still too riled up and even sweating from his sprint, but Xiao Zhan didn’t need to know that it was the thunderstorm outside that had him trembling. The panic only just started subsiding that he was safe again, a wall and a roof between him and the madness outside.

When Yibo’s feet brought him towards the guest bathroom, Xiao Zhan pulled him towards the stairs, sending him a flat stare.

“My bathroom,” he said, and if Yibo wasn’t still pulling himself back together, he would have squealed in delight. Alas, he just followed mutely.

Yibo undressed while the bath water was running. Xiao Zhan had left him towels and soft pyjamas and closed the door behind him to give him privacy.

Only after Yibo lounged in the hot bathwater that smelled comfortingly of lavender did he realize that he actually didn’t want to be alone right now.

The water felt nice and soothing, but being alone meant listening to the thunder and raindrops outside and seeing the sky brighten with lightning behind the blinds.

Yibo pouted and turned around, seeing the door was slightly ajar.

“Ge?” he called out tentatively, unsure whether Xiao Zhan was still there or went downstairs.

The faint sound of footsteps and the door opening made him almost sigh with relief.

“Yeah? Everything alright?”

Yibo hesitated, then he shrugged and lowered his gaze, feeling somewhat pathetic.

“Don’t like thunderstorms,” he muttered and hugged his knees to his body while Xiao Zhan crouched down next to the tub, arms resting on the edge and observing him.

“Ge,” Yibo said, alarmed. “Don’t hurt yours-”

“Don’t worry, I’m fine, Yibo. Relax, alright?”

“Mn.”

Xiao Zhan’s presence made the knot of anxiety unravel slowly and when his boyfriend pulled out a stool, sat down behind him and offered to wash his hair, Yibo nodded thankfully, breathing easier once again.

But first, he almost yelped again when Xiao Zhan’s arms enveloped him from the back and he placed a kiss against his neck, then on his shoulders. Oh, this was… he was suddenly hyper aware that he was naked and grateful for all the bubbles subtly hiding him, and especially his lower body, from view. The mere brush of Xiao Zhan’s lips already made him twitch dangerously, and he gulped, tensing up involuntarily.

“Aiya, Yibo, you’re so stiff!”

Yibo almost choked and cleared his throat while splashing around a bit, feeling nervous energy wash over him. Yes, he was definitely on his way to getting stiff, but surely, his ge wasn’t talking about that!

The firm pressure of Xiao Zhan’s fingers, kneading his shoulders and back muscles, brought him back to reality, and he had to bite his bottom lip to not moan in pleasure.

“There you go,” Xiao Zhan murmured behind him and …was that Yibo’s imagination or did his voice sound deeper than usual? Yibo was about to have a crisis! Did his ge know what he was doing to him?

“Are you alright now that you’re inside or is it still bad?”

Yibo had to think for a moment, blanking out and wondering what Xiao Zhan was talking about until he got back on track and hummed.

“Fine now,” he replied. “It’s just when I’m outside. It’s… always made me realize how helpless and small we are.”

Xiao Zhan hummed while reaching for a bottle of shampoo.

“I understand. Forces of nature, ah? They won’t stop for anyone. It’s kinda daunting.”

“Yeah,” Yibo agreed and craned his neck.

“Hm?” Xiao Zhan asked, squeezing soap into the palm of his hand.

“Kiss me?” Yibo asked and the bright, soft smile blossoming on Xiao Zhan’s face made him melt into the water, before his brain short-circuited as their lips met, moving gently against each other, until Yibo had his fill, head now full of tender and horny thoughts and turned around again.

Xiao Zhan washed his hair with peach and cream shampoo, the same he used for himself, then let Yibo dress in his own clothes that also smelled like him.

When Yibo padded down the stairs, all fearful thoughts were forgotten. He was acutely aware of Xiao Zhan’s eyes on him, following his movements and seizing him up, taking in his sweater paws and the way the pyjama pants were slightly too long for him. Based on the heat in his eyes, he liked what he saw, and Yibo felt the need to fidget around on the spot and smooth down his damp hair.

They spent the late afternoon and evening lazing away on the couch, while the raindrops kept on prattling against the windows and the storm raged on.

 Xiao Zhan prepared a quick dinner for them, and after, they settled down to watch a movie.

“Are you sure it’ll be fine with your head, ge?” Yibo asked, fully aware that Xiao Zhan fought with headaches when he felt too stimulated and had to rest his eyes more often than he liked.

But his ge just waved him off and picked up Jianguo, who was meowing insistently at him, demanding attention.

“It’ll be fine,” he argued and put Jianguo down on Yibo’s lap. “I watched TV for half an hour today and my head didn’t hurt. And then I read for an hour. With breaks. That was also fine.”

“You’re easing into it,” Yibo commented and gave him a thumbs up while scratching Jianguo behind her ears, listening to her purring and feeling her tiny feet knead bread on his thigh.

Xiao Zhan puffed out his chest. “I can be a good boy too, see? Now, Jianguo, princess, please move along. This spot is reserved for gege now.”

And with that, he picked up his protesting cat, deposited her on the ground and got comfortable with his head on Yibo’s lap, adjusting himself until he found a good position.

“That okay?” he asked and blinked up at Yibo, who had already started stroking his hair, feeling the soft strands slip through his fingers.

“More than okay,” he whispered back and scratched lightly, prompting Xiao Zhan to give his best Jianguo impersonation. The princess in question had taken up residence in an armchair and ignored them blatantly. Yibo made a mental note of giving her extra cuddles tomorrow morning before he left for work and maybe give her an extra treat while Xiao Zhan wasn’t watching.

They had picked a light, short comedy movie but Yibo hardly paid attention, his whole being occupied with Xiao Zhan’s weight on his lap, his hair under his fingers and his smell in his nostrils.

He couldn’t help his head from going places. After a week of living together and Xiao Zhan recuperating well, those thoughts he had pushed down came bubbling up to the surface in full force.

Awkwardly, Yibo adjusted his position, hoping with all his might that his semi wouldn’t poke Xiao Zhan in the head. How embarrassing would that be! Now he regretted his habit of not wearing underwear with his pyjama pants.

Fortunately, the movie ending credits followed soon after and Yibo let out a breath of relief when Xiao Zhan got up and stretched, the movement revealing maddening glimpses of his stomach and belly button and Yibo was well on his way to getting completely hard.

He crossed his legs and winced. The next moment, cracking thunder hit and his heart almost stopped. His boner flagged a little too, and Yibo rolled his eyes at his stupid body and his extreme reactions.

But at least now he could sit like a normal person again, not worried about his pants tenting and making him look like a hormonal teenager!

On some level, he knew his shyness was unnecessary, and that they were at a point now where intimacy was the next natural step. The only thing making him reluctant was Xiao Zhan’s current state. He was better, but hadn’t fully recovered. And Yibo wasn’t sure if he was up for bedroom activities yet.

“Bedtime?” Xiao Zhan asked and let down the blinds, throwing one more cautious look outside where the rain hadn’t eased up at all.

“Mn, yeah,” Yibo replied and tried petting Jianguo. But the princess only stared at him and jumped off the armchair before climbing onto her cat tree and judging him harshly from above.

Yibo huffed at the obvious dismissal, which teased a low chuckle out of Xiao Zhan’s mouth, too.

“Ah, she’s mad because she’s not the only one in my heart any longer,” Xiao Zhan joked and looked at his cat fondly. “But don’t worry, she’ll get over it.”

“I thought she liked me,” Yibo lamented, and pouted fiercely. They did get along! Jianguo let him pet her and pick her up. And earlier she was on his lap.

Xiao Zhan nudged his elbow. “She does. But she’s also a drama queen. Let’s go.”

They went upstairs together, but when Yibo turned towards his bedroom, Xiao Zhan reached out and grabbed his wrist, effectively holding him back.

“Mn?” Yibo asked, a soft smile playing across his lips, thinking that Xiao Zhan would probably want a goodnight kiss, but when he faced his ge and looked up at him, Xiao Zhan was eyeing him contemplatively, chewing on his bottom lip.

“What is it?” Yibo asked and put his hands on Xiao Zhan’s shoulders, massaging him gently. His ge had started looking a little nervous and Yibo didn’t like it, wanted him to feel at ease. So he searched for Xiao Zhan’s eyes behind his thick-rimmed glasses, and once he got his full attention again, he went on his tippytoes and pressed a hard kiss on his lips.

Xiao Zhan’s fingers digging into his sides were more demanding than Yibo had anticipated and he gasped into their kiss. Thunder boomed again in the distance and Yibo let out a frightened squeak before he could help it, almost jumping into Xiao Zhan’s arms.

Their kiss broke and Xiao Zhan pulled him in, hands wandering higher and gently rubbing at his back.

“Shhh, it’s alright” Xiao Zhan muttered against his temple, voice rough and low and if Yibo wasn’t so anxious, he would have noticed why Xiao Zhan sounded the way he did. But right now, his mind was scattered as he clutched at his ge’s shirt.

“I think it’s best if you sleep in my bed tonight, ah?”

Yibo nodded immediately and took the hand Xiao Zhan held out to him.

“If that’s okay,” he asked in a small voice and received an incredulous, flat stare in response, before Xiao Zhan huffed, shook his head and got moving.

“If that’s okay,” he repeated to himself in amusement, and Yibo punched him, a sulky expression on his face.

“Ge, you’re injured and still recovering! I didn’t want to take advantage of you…”
“Aiya, Wang Yibo, no such thing! And I know what you were doing, believe me, I appreciate the …mindfulness, but it’s no longer necessary.”

“…okay?” Yibo asked, as he let Xiao Zhan pull him along, feeling oddly clumsy and faint all of a sudden.

“Unless you don’t want to sleep in my bed tonight,” Xiao Zhan mentioned casually and Yibo tightened his grasp, shaking his head forcefully.

“Of course I want to!”
And oh he did! But Yibo was still very new to the world of serious relationships and more cautious than he probably needed to be. Sharing a bed seemed like a very serious step. But in the end, he was ready to take it and if Xiao Zhan was as well, who was he to doubt him?

They got ready for bed by taking turns in the bathroom and when Yibo came out, Xiao Zhan was already under the blanket and a lamp in the corner emitted a faint orange glow. Yibo’s steps faltered.

“The lamp…”

“We’ll leave it on. No problem,” Xiao Zhan said and petted the spot on his right invitingly. “I don’t mind.”

After swallowing hard and pulling himself together, Yibo shuffled over and sat down on the edge. The picture of the lamp had made him incredibly emotional. Did Xiao Zhan know he needed a light source to sleep comfortably? He had to! But Yibo hadn’t told him. He was sure of it.

In the end, he tore his eyes away and slipped under the blanket, turning around to face his ge, who was also conveniently facing him, face propped up on his hand.

“Thank you,” Yibo whispered into the semi-darkness and squeezed Xiao Zhan’s biceps. “How did you know?”

The smile on Xiao Zhan’s face was visible, even though his face laid half in shadow.

“I walked past your room once at night and saw the glow.”

“Mn. I don’t like complete darkness. It makes my brain go to dark places, too.”

Yibo swallowed hard against the sudden lump in his throat, shocked at his own admission. He had never told anyone about his night terrors, about the specific fears he faced. Stating that he could sleep better with some type of light source was as far as he ever went.

“My dear, I’ll always keep the light on for you, no matter what. As long as you need it, so don’t worry about it. We’ll face your demons together.”

The kind words, meant to be comforting and assuring, were too much for Yibo’s fragile heart. He sniffled and even though he tried to hold back the tears, his vision became blurry and he felt wetness run down his cheeks.

Xiao Zhan had him pressed against his chest in a heartbeat, the distance between them no longer there, as they clutched at each other, one crying silently, the other offering support and whispering reassurances and sweet words into his hair.

The gentle, repetitive movement of Xiao Zhan’s hand stroking his hair helped Yibo calm down, and the tears gradually subsided. Still, he remained in Xiao Zhan’s arms, his heartbeat steady against his own chest, feeling safe and cared for and utterly loved.

“Okay, baobei?” Xiao Zhan asked and placed a kiss on top of his head, then took his face in his hands and wiped away the wetness on his cheeks.

“Mn,” Yibo nodded and smiled softly. He wasn’t sad. Just overwhelmed. And crying had helped him, relieved him of some of those emotions.

“Aiya, I am glad, then,” Xiao Zhan whispered, still stroking Yibo’s plump cheeks and so close to him, Yibo felt his breath against his lips. “You know how much you mean to me and how serious I am with you, ah?”

Yibo nodded and covered Xiao Zhan’s hands with his own.

“I do. And I am too.”

His heart swelled, and he was hit by a sudden sense of purpose, of determination. He would strive to be the best version of himself. For Xiao Zhan. But also for his own sake.

“I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life,” he whispered back, urgent and passionate. “I know you’re the only one for me. I knew it when you walked into the shop for the first time. Just like you knew when you saw me.”

It was supposed to be. We were always meant to be. And we found each other.

They were still close, both lying on their sides. Xiao Zhan had let go of Yibo’s face and his left hand was now loosely resting on his hip.

“Can you see me?” Yibo asked jokingly after Xiao Zhan squinted at him and made him huff.

“Not quite,” he said, and Yibo recognized the playful tone in his voice. “I think you have to come closer.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 19

“Close enough?” Yibo asked with a smile in his voice as the tips of their noses touched and Xiao Zhan nuzzled against his face in that cute way of his. Yibo had watched him do it to Jianguo and if he was jealous of a cat, well, who could blame him?

Now, being the subject of Xiao Zhan’s affections felt even sweeter!

“I like my clothes on you,” Xiao Zhan whispered and let his lips graze Yibo’s earlobe, making him shiver and teasing a small, helpless moan out of his mouth.

Yibo was fully hard by now, his arousal urgent, and obviously tenting his pyjama pants. If Xiao Zhan pulled him in… pulled their bodies snug against each other, he would feel all of it.

Their faces were squished together, but there was still a little distance between their lower bodies.

When Xiao Zhan’s fingers flitted over Yibo’s hip, tracing the curve of him and exploring, Yibo almost moved forward. Suddenly, he needed this friction, needed to be as close to his ge as possible.

“Gege,” he murmured, and flushed at how needy his voice sounded. “Are you sure…? Are you sure you’re…”

“Can’t wait any longer,” Xiao Zhan whispered, his breath hot against Yibo’s lips and his voice just as ragged. “Want you so much…If you’ll have me.”

“Yes. Yes.”

Yibo reached out to cup Xiao Zhan’s face, thumb brushing over his delicate cheekbones, then wandering lower and following the shape of his jaw, before he ended with a quick tap against the mole under his lip.

It made Xiao Zhan smile, and Yibo’s breath hitched.

“Need you closer,” Yibo whispered and received a small nod in response.

“Wait… let me…”

Xiao Zhan twisted his torso to reach behind himself but froze and hissed through his teeth.

“Ah?”

Yibo put a questioning hand on his shoulder, pulling him back. If his ge was still in so much pain…

“Sorry, just moved too quickly,” Xiao Zhan replied and winced while massaging his waist. “It’s alright if…if we are careful.”

Yibo hummed doubtfully as he moved Xiao Zhan’s hand away and tugged up his t-shirt. The bruise didn’t look as severe and angry any longer, but hadn’t completely faded. Carefully, as if he was dealing with something extremely precious, Yibo stroked the sensitive skin.

“Does that hurt?” he asked in a rough whisper and felt Xiao Zhan react to it, trembling slightly. Yibo became almost a little light-headed and the hotness in his abdomen was almost impossible to ignore now. He was itching to touch himself or lunge forward and rub against his ge’s thigh.

But he held himself back, making sure Xiao Zhan was really up for it.

Yibo nudged him onto his back and propped himself up on his elbows, hand still on the hot, tender skin under his pyjama top.

“No,” Xiao Zhan replied faintly, breathing already more strained. Yibo was positive it wasn’t due to his injury, and he smirked, feeling accomplished and no longer too worried.

“Ge, I think if we go ahead, you have to let me do most of the work, yes? I don’t want you to get hurt accidentally… in the heat of the moment.”

“Seems…seems reasonable,” Xiao Zhan pressed out, eyes following Yibo’s fingers tracing his torso, now fiddling with the buttons of his top and undoing them slowly, one by one.

Internally, Yibo let out a sigh of relief at his hands being so steady, despite the raging horny tempest within him.

Thanks to the glowing lamp in the corner, Yibo could see what he was doing and as soon as he had Xiao Zhan lying in front of him with his chest and stomach bare, the shirt spread out around him, Yibo’s gaze zeroed in on the trail of dark, thick hair, running down from Xiao Zhan’s belly button into his pants. There was a thinner trail leading up to his chest, which was also covered in a dusting of black hair, not as thick as down below, but still very visible.

He felt his mouth water at the sight, and his fingers inched forward.

Softly, he traced the thin line down, registering Xiao Zhan pull in a sharp breath of air at the touch. He felt warm and wonderful and Yibo soaked up every little reaction, every little twitch beneath his fingertips. When he reached the thick happy trail, he tugged experimentally, teasing a choked out gasp from Xiao Zhan’s lips, then immediately moved up, settling on his side.

Xiao Zhan turned towards him, already searching, clawing and when their mouths met in a hungry, open-mouthed kiss that was full of want, Yibo’s hands didn’t stay still, frantically running up and down Xiao Zhan’s side, following the dip of his waist and becoming acquainted with his body. He wanted to know every part of him, every patch of skin, and couldn’t get his hands all over him quickly enough.

When Yibo’s searching hand slipped behind the waistband of Xiao Zhan’s pyjama pants and found nothing but more skin and pubic hair, he stilled while Xiao Zhan laughed breathlessly into their kiss.

“I usually sleep naked, so no underwear,” his ge explained himself and placed a quick, sloppy kiss on the corner of Yibo’s mouth.

“I see,” Yibo whispered back, voice deeper than usual and slightly rough. He moved his hand down further while their kiss turned languid and slow.

“Okay?” Yibo asked against Xiao Zhan’s lips and received a smile in return, encouraging him.

When Yibo finally found what he was looking for and wrapped a hand around the already hard and wet length, Xiao Zhan groaned and his grip on Yibo’s shirt became tighter.

“Wanted this, wanted you for so long,” he whispered intensely and gulped.

Those words did nothing but stoke the fire within Yibo’s abdomen and he almost squealed with excitement. To know that he was so desired made his cock twitch and he let out a small gasp himself, before capturing Xiao Zhan’s mouth once again, slipping his tongue past his lips and holding him gently, testing his weight in his hand and getting used to the feel and shape.

“Want you too… so much…,” Yibo whispered when they pulled apart for some air and squeezed Xiao Zhan’s cock tentatively, feeling him jerk and grow impossibly harder and wetter.

“I think I’m losing my mind,” Xiao Zhan muttered, still having a death grip on Yibo’s pyjama top and reacting beautifully to his every touch.

“It’s been a while,” he added, and it almost sounded like an excuse. Yibo wouldn’t have any of it.

“For me too,” he replied. “It doesn’t matter. Only you matter. Us. Together. Now.” He ended with a huff, wondering when he had lost the ability to string together sentences, but Xiao Zhan nodded and looked at him like he was the wisest man in the universe, and Yibo took it gladly.

He started stroking Xiao Zhan more rhythmically now, leaning in for a kiss once again and breaking out in delicious goosebumps when Xiao Zhan moaned into his mouth and began moving his hips forward, fucking into his hand.

Eventually, he stilled and Yibo slowed down his movements.

“Can I?” Xiao Zhan asked and tugged on Yibo’s pyjama pants, making his intentions very clear.

“Yeah,” Yibo replied, as soon as the question was posed and made Xiao Zhan huff against him, amused by his eagerness.

Yibo smiled sheepishly and looked his boyfriend deep in the eyes, finding them half-lidded and sparkling in the semi-darkness.

His ge’s top had slipped all the way of his frame, lying crumpled underneath them and Yibo’s eyes took in his naked shoulder, wandering down his upper arm to his elbow, marvelling at the thought that this was all his now. All his to touch and caress.

When Xiao Zhan reached over to slip a hand under his shirt and Yibo felt his fingers ghost along his torso, somewhat shyly, he almost got a crisis and his loose grasp around Xiao Zhan’s cock tightened involuntarily.

Xiao Zhan stilled.

“Ah, Yibo, sweetheart,” he began, followed by an awkward little giggle that made Yibo’s heart want to squeeze out of his chest and jump the distance between them. “If you could slow down a little? I don’t want to embarrass myself…”

Overcome by an insane rush of tenderness and desire for his gege and his honesty, Yibo let go of him and lunged forward to devour Xiao Zhan’s mouth, swallowing down his surprise and moving into his touch.

Xiao Zhan continued exploring him as Yibo forced himself to remain as still as possible, letting his ge take his time and he only occasionally rubbed a thumb lazily over his cock, teasing maddening noises out of his mouth.

“You feel amazing,” Xiao Zhan whispered against his lips as he traced carefully, but thoroughly, across Yibo’s abs.

Yibo felt like he was glowing.

The next moment, Xiao Zhan’s hand wandered higher and Yibo let out an embarrassing sound as soon as Xiao Zhan tugged on his nipple, not having expected the sting and feeling it all over, but mostly down below. Xiao Zhan hummed in approval and rolled the hard little nub between his fingers, unaware of everything Yibo was currently going through, with his whole body tingling and his cock looking for friction that wasn’t there.

“You’re gorgeous,” Xiao Zhan murmured in that low and breathy voice Yibo still had to wrap his head around. He trembled all over and bucked his hips forward, almost losing control over his body all together.

And if it wasn’t enough, Xiao Zhan leaned forward, placed a ridiculously sweet kiss on his brow, then let go of his nipple and shoved his hand into Yibo’s pants, almost impatiently, fingering the sparse pubic hair down there, searching…

As soon as Xiao Zhan wrapped a warm and slightly sweaty hand around him, Yibo’s breath stuttered to a halt and his eyes almost rolled back in his head. He knew what was coming, but still found himself not at all prepared for the sudden tightness and the little shockwaves of pleasure attacking his brain. He closed his eyes, willing himself to please last and not cum in his pants like a horny teenager.

“Feels good?” Xiao Zhan asked as if he didn’t know, didn’t notice how on edge Yibo was already, but Yibo had already figured that Xiao Zhan liked to be verbal in bed and he was grateful for his sweet words, his questions and reassurance.

“Yeah. Too good. Amazing,” he pressed out, eyelids fluttering and a shaky smile on his lips.

Before he could say more, Xiao Zhan was already pressing their lips together, nipping his bottom lip and licking into his mouth while he slowly worked him over. Feeling overwhelmed in the best sense, Yibo groaned into their kiss and jerked forward, wanting to be closer, and felt Xiao Zhan smile against him.

When they pulled back, both panting and dark-eyed, a string of saliva connecting their bruised and wet lips, Yibo reluctantly let go of his ge and pushed at his chest, manhandling him onto his back and shushing him when he made an unhappy sound. He ignored the sense of loss he felt when Xiao Zhan’s fingers slipped off his length and got up in one fluid motion to follow him and straddle his lap, hands immediately back on Xiao Zhan’s naked torso, running down his sides fervently and taking him in, eyes wide open and admiring what he saw.

Xiao Zhan tried pulling him down, but Yibo didn’t let him. Not yet. Instead, he sat up straighter, rolled his hips once and bit his lip at the wonderful friction, registered Xiao Zhan’s deep groan, and quickly took off his own pyjama shirt. When Xiao Zhan’s eager fingers reached for him this time, Yibo didn’t protest and let his ge trace over his abs and feel him up to his heart’s delight.

He looked almost illegal, lying in between the cushions with his chest bare and his pyjama pants pushed down, cock poking out and resting below his belly button.

Yibo gulped, feeling hot all over and maybe he was drooling? His lips felt tender and swollen and he wouldn’t want it any other way.

As Xiao Zhan’s explorations moved lower and lower, Yibo’s heartbeat quickened and it almost took him as a complete surprise when Xiao Zhan resolutely pulled down his pants, freeing his cock and uttering a small “oh dear” at the sight.

Yibo almost choked at his ge’s stunned expression and he flushed a deep pink that was probably visible in the dark. Yeah, he knew he was on the bigger side, but seeing Xiao Zhan’s reaction made him preen. His ge obviously liked what he saw, and that was most important for Yibo.

Thunder rolled in the distance when Xiao Zhan began tracing his length with his fingertips, up and down, his touch featherlight and maddening. Yibo didn’t even register the rumbling due to all the blood pumping in his ears.

“Darling, there’s some lube in my bedside drawer,” Xiao Zhan eventually said. “Could you…?”

“Sure,” Yibo said, feeling his breath catch in his throat as he leaned to the side and scrambled towards the nightstand.

Xiao Zhan took his chance and thumbed playfully at Yibo’s nipples, making him almost forget what he was supposed to do and he lightly slapped at his ge’s wrist while giving him a mock stern gaze. “Naughty, gege,” he scolded him, retrieved the lube and shuffled back on top of his boyfriend, who was watching him with an excited glimmer in his eyes.

“I thought… maybe, could you wrap your hand around both of us?”

Yibo stilled, the fire under his skin growing impossibly hotter. Then he opened the bottle of lube with shaky fingers and swallowed.

“I… can,” he said as he squinted at their lengths. “I think.”

Xiao Zhan also wasn’t small, but Yibo had long fingers.

“Oh god, you can’t imagine how often I dreamed about it!” Xiao Zhan exclaimed and let out a long sigh that had Yibo smirking while he warmed up some lube between his fingers.

He shuffled forward a little, liking this spot on Xiao Zhan’s lap from where he had an excellent view of his boyfriend, laid out in front of him like a three-course meal, with his dark, half-lidded eyes, his unashamed arousal and desire. Yibo was ready to devour him.

His breaths were coming quicker when he lined them up and watched Xiao Zhan’s chest heave, his eyes wide-open now and clawing at the sheets around him, as if he needed to hold on to something to ground himself.

Oh, Yibo was going to lose it.

He pressed them together and the friction almost sent him off to heaven, cloud nine or wherever his soul was going to ascend to after it left his body.

Xiao Zhan moaned deeply as soon as he felt Yibo’s hand squeezing them both together and he tried rotating his hips, bucking up, looking for more of this.

“Ge, no strenuous work!” Yibo said and snorted when Xiao Zhan gave him a sad pout. Despite his little act, he stopped the movement and Yibo felt him relax underneath him.

“Good gege,” he said, voice tinged with playfulness, and Xiao Zhan may have choked. Yibo wasn’t quite sure what the noise coming out of his mouth was.

With the slide made easier by the lube, Yibo started stroking them both, relishing the feel of Xiao Zhan’s cock pressed against his own, within the tight circle of his fist. It felt divine and Yibo couldn’t find any words, too occupied by the visuals in front of him and the zaps of pleasure running up and down his spine and setting all his nerve ends on fire.

The view was almost too much and made him feel slightly light-headed. A glimpse at Xiao Zhan’s face revealed him with his eyes locked on Yibo’s hand, almost hypnotized, with his lips parted and trembling while little gasps escaped him.

When Yibo twisted his wrist, Xiao Zhan threw his head back, choking out a groan and Yibo realized, oh, his ge was loud. He was loud and Yibo loved it! He wanted to hear more of it, could get addicted to the sweet noises in no time.

His movements were steadily speeding up, getting sloppier and more frantic and so did his own panting. Yibo eventually stilled his hand but before Xiao Zhan could complain, he moved his hips tentatively, sliding against Xiao Zhan’s cock and feeling him twitch in response, pleasure slowly mounting.

Yibo kept up this new rhythm, gauging from Xiao Zhan’s reactions, the way his moans were becoming deeper and more strained that he was getting close. Eventually, Xiao Zhan threw his head back into the pillows again, eyes squeezed shut and cock steadily leaking precum, mixing with the lube and running over Yibo’s knuckles.

The sight almost got him in a frenzy and Yibo snapped his hips forward more urgently now, hearing his own ragged pants in his ears and feeling sweat run into his eyes, not even bothering to wipe it away.

It was a wet, messy, and absolutely glorious affair.

Xiao Zhan’s body tensed up underneath Yibo’s heavy weight, and Yibo, who knew what was happening, doubled his efforts, eyes now darting between their cocks and his gege’s face, not wanting to miss a single thing and mad he didn’t have more eyes.

Yibo felt it when Xiao Zhan pulled in a sharp breath of air, then let it out in a stuttering moan as his cock pulsed in Yibo’s grasp, against his own, then shot heavily over his lower belly and happy trail, the thick milky cum a stark contrast within the dark, coarse hair.

The images were more than Yibo could have imagined in his wildest dreams, the way Xiao Zhan’s cock twitched against his own, the way his face looked the moment his orgasm hit him were too much to handle and Yibo’s own pleasure crested, bringing him over the edge rapidly. He let out a breathless gasp before coming hard, thighs shaking and his whole body tingly with it, letting himself fall and be swept away.

He blinked when he was done, feeling his soul anchor itself once again, and gently removed his hand from their softening cocks, taking in the mess they made.

Xiao Zhan was pawing for him already and Yibo bonelessly slid to the side, latching on to his ge like a koala and kissing him softly, stroking his face and finding him sweaty and hot.

Xiao Zhan’s own fingers found themselves in Yibo’s hair and the back of his neck, stroking softly and carding through his bangs.

They lay like that for a while, not talking, just touching, kissing, stroking, enjoying the time together. Coming to grips with what had happened. Yibo felt somewhat vulnerable and fragile, but also even more in love and infatuated with his ge than before. And Xiao Zhan would feel the same. A shiver ran down his spine when he thought about what they had shared. What they had willingly given to each other and his eyes almost became blurry with overwhelmed tears. Yibo trusted Xiao Zhan completely. He already had his heart, but now he also had his soul. His everything.

When he accidentally put his hand into the sticky puddle of cum on Xiao Zhan’s tummy, he winced and made his ge chuckle in turn.

“I would get up if I wasn’t feeling so wiped out,” Xiao Zhan apologized and sighed contently. “I’ll wipe it off. In a moment.”

Yibo narrowed his eyes at his sleepy boyfriend. Xiao Zhan wasn’t just sticky with their spend but also sweaty and Yibo felt similarly icky. He really didn’t want to fall asleep like that and wake up in the morning smelling like a whole sex club.

Despite the fatigue he felt, Yibo bullied Xiao Zhan into having a shower and joined him there, the both of them too exhausted to start anything but happy to just hold each other and be close.

“How are you feeling?” Yibo asked when they were back in bed again. The storm had eased up and the soft prattling of rain against the window was the only background noise they could hear. It felt cozy and comfortable.

“Tired. But so happy,” Xiao Zhan replied and reached out to stroke Yibo’s cheek, making him melt into the touch and close his eyes with a pleased smile on his face. “I really enjoy having you here with me… and I don’t just mean my bed.”

Yibo snorted softly but hummed his agreement. It was wonderful and almost too easy to live with Xiao Zhan. That’s why he didn’t want to think about leaving just yet, even though he knew it was coming.

“It’s been so nice to see you in my home. Sharing the same space,” Xiao Zhan continued and send Yibo a smile that made his eyes crinkle. “It makes everything seem brighter and I wake up with a smile, knowing you’ll be the first person I see in the morning.”

“Geeeee!” Yibo whined and wiggled forward to bury his head against Xiao Zhan’s chest, experiencing something close to vertigo. “You… you… should have become a poet!”

Xiao Zhan cackled gleefully, and Yibo felt the vibrations of it against his skin.

“I’ll only ever wax poetry for you, my dear. You’re very inspiring.”

With an amused huff, Yibo lifted his head and placed a quick kiss against his ge’s jaw.

“You’re right though. I felt the same. I’ve been feeling at home since the start. Had no issues falling asleep here… and… just felt comfortable.” Yibo’s own words weren’t as flowery and beautiful as Xiao Zhan’s, but honest just the same. He knew his ge understood.

Instead of an answer, Xiao Zhan leaned in and brought their lips together in a sweet and affectionate kiss that tasted like the minty toothpaste they had both used just before. Yibo smiled into it, feeling giddy and not as sleepy anymore as earlier. Kissing Xiao Zhan would always be marvellous! Would he ever get used to it? Would the butterflies in his stomach ever get tired of fluttering wildly?

When Xiao Zhan pulled back, he had an unreadable expression on his face and Yibo frowned a little, trying to interpret it.

“Is that… something you could imagine? Sooner rather than later?” Xiao Zhan asked, sounding a little unsure and immediately searching his face.

Yibo was stunned, brain needing a minute to reboot and process the question. He had not expected Xiao Zhan to ask him so soon! He didn’t dare believe… But as hopeful anticipation and pure happiness spread out in his chest, Xiao Zhan cleared his throat and shuffled around a little.

“Ah… of course you can take time to think about it. I don’t want to push you and it’s fine if it’s all too soon… I don’t want to overstep, I just… I…”

Yibo’s breath stuttered to a halt, and he gaped. No! His gege had taken his silence as him being doubtful!

“Ge,” Yibo whispered, trying to reign in his excitement. “I’d move in straight away. I… I just had to wrap my head around the fact I’m not dreaming.”

The next moment, his face fell. “But… but I don’t think I could afford this place…”
Xiao Zhan made an unhappy sound and punched him lightly against the chest.

“I already afforded it!” he said and lifted an eyebrow, obviously suppressing a smile and eyes brighter than the stars.

Yibo tried to not get too distracted by his ge’s beauty and keep his wits together just a little longer.

“I’ll have to contribute, though,” he argued. The thought of living in Xiao Zhan’s place for free just wouldn’t sit right.

“And you will,” Xiao Zhan agreed easily. “But within your budget. No more arguments. If it was up to me, your presence alone and occasional breakfast in bed would be payment enough. And… uh… the fact that you tidied up so nicely.”

“Mn.” Yibo nodded and gave Xiao Zhan a flat stare. “I kept tripping over stuff.”

“Aiya, it was all organized!”
“On the floor?”

“…”

“Now it’s neat.”

“It is. And you arranged the books in alphabetical order.”

“It made sense.”
Xiao Zhan let out a huff of exasperated laughter and shook his head.

“You’re so…. Yibo… I don’t know if we’re moving too fast, if this is appropriate. I don’t have a lot of experience with how relationships progress… But just so you know, I have absolutely no doubts.”

“Ge,” Yibo said intently and searched for Xiao Zhan’s eyes. His boyfriend had become quiet by now and looked at him somewhat expectantly.

Yibo allowed himself a small smile. Was it fast? Maybe? Did Yibo have concerns or second thoughts? Absolutely not. Could it go wrong? Maybe? But Yibo didn’t want to think about it. His ge was worth taking chances and he wouldn’t let this one slip through his fingers.

“I’d love to move in with you. It would be very lovely!”

Chapter Text

Chapter 20

“Is there a reason you’re grinning like an idiot this morning?” Jackson asked and stepped into his space, staring intently, but even his friend’s theatrics couldn’t ruin Yibo’s mood today.

He shrugged easily, cheeks straining from smiling so much, and finished pouring his latte, pleased with how pretty it looked. When he called it out, the young woman made wide eyes and took out her phone to snap a picture of the beautiful swan Yibo had drawn on it and he preened internally, feeling like he could float away if this continued.

Yibo was one big, gushy cloud of happiness this morning. Some of the regular customers gave him funny looks, probably not used to the persistent smile on his face.

But what was Yibo supposed to do? He had woken up to Xiao Zhan observing him, face squished into his pillow and looking so incredibly soft and beautiful, Yibo just had to lean over and kiss him hungrily, kiss him until they were both breathless and panting. And then… well, they just couldn’t keep their hands off each other and they repeated what had happened the night before, only this time, Xiao Zhan was eager to get Yibo off first, taking his time and being infinitely attentive.

Yibo’s heart soared when he thought of it, thought of how dark Xiao Zhan’s eyes had been and how he had licked his lips when Yibo was getting close. How Yibo’s spent had run over his knuckles and the way Xiao Zhan had brought his hand to his mouth, tasting him.

With a fire simmering in his abdomen, Yibo remembered how his own eyes had gone half-lidded and the stunned look of surprise on Xiao Zhan’s face when Yibo began kissing down his stomach, following the trail of hair that got thicker the lower Yibo got. He remembered his ge’s sharp intake of breath when Yibo’s tongue darted out to lick a teasing stripe up his half-hard cock, then wrapped his mouth around the head, feeling him fill out rapidly and already getting addicted to the taste.

Yibo had been a little clumsy, but plenty enthusiastic and even though his jaw had started hurting and he wasn’t able to take his ge in as far as he would have liked, Xiao Zhan had reacted beautifully to his administrations, all low and breathy moans and muttered endearments. He had pulled Yibo’s hair, scratched his scalp and told him how hot this was, how incredible. And he had remained still, not bucking up his hips and letting Yibo set the pace, even though Yibo felt him tremble underneath him. And it made him feel even more infatuated.

When Xiao Zhan came, Yibo swallowed all of him, and as he looked up at his boyfriend and lover, lips swollen and glistening with cum, Xiao Zhan looked at him like he couldn’t believe him to be real and Yibo’s heart had doubled in size.

“Yibo???? Are you making boiled milk?”

“Oh!”

With a start and a little jump, Yibo lowered the jug and sheepishly turned off the steam wand, lowering his gaze to hide the guilty smile and pink flush on his face. He was glad for his apron and tight pants, as he shuffled around a little on the spot and tried with all his might to ban pictures of Xiao Zhan from his mind. At least until after work.

But then… then Yibo would drive home and talk to Seungyoun.

A shiver of anticipation ran down his spine and he felt a somewhat restless energy settle in his bones. He wanted to go now, still in awe and not quite believing that he was really going to move in with his ge soon. He feared he would wake up any moment, alone in his bed, with everything that happened the last months just a particularly vivid and exciting dream. But as often as he pinched himself, he remained in the here and now. Not a dream, after all, but his reality now.

As soon as his shift was over, Yibo drove to his old home, huffing at himself as he parked the car and got out. Gone for a week and it was already his old home. But then, as Yibo walked up the stairs and took in the so familiar surroundings, a sense of melancholy overcame him. It had its downsides, but Yibo would miss the place.

Seungyoun greeted him at the door. “Hello stranger!” he quipped and clapped Yibo on the shoulder, making him feel a little guilty.

He had talked with his ge about the move a little more in the morning, and they had agreed to take it easy. Yibo was welcome to stay any time he liked, but he would slowly move his belongings over and make sure Seungyoun was alright with either continuing to live on his own or looking for another house mate. Yibo wouldn’t leave him in a ditch, as much as he wanted to rush and pack his things straight away.

“I have to tell you something,” Yibo started once they were sitting on the couch and Seungyoun cocked his head at him, one eyebrow raised and a small smile on his lips.

“Yes?” he asked, and Yibo couldn’t shake off the feeling that his friend somehow knew or suspected what was coming.

He scratched his head, his carefully prepared speech suddenly no longer adequate.

“I’m moving in with Xiao Zhan,” he finally said, simple as that, and tried gauging Seungyoun’s reaction.

“Ha! I knew it!” Seungyoun exclaimed and grinned widely. “When exactly? Can Wenhan have your room?”

Yibo gaped like a fish out of water, eyes wide and feeling a tiny bit offended.

“Are you about to kick me out??” he asked and narrowed his eyes at his smug friend. “Have you planned this?”

But Seungyoun only cackled and petted his forearm in a placating gesture. “Relax, I’m joking! I kinda figured after you packed your bag so quickly, you wouldn’t come back and that’s okay! I’m happy for you.”

The fight left Yibo instantly and confronted with Seungyoun’s honest face, he deflated and swallowed against the lump in his throat.

“I’ll miss you,” he muttered and lowered his gaze, not wanting to burst into tears right now.

“Don’t be so dramatic, Babyibo! I’ll see you at dancing class and you’re not that far away!”

Yibo shrugged, ignoring the nickname Seungyoun only used very rarely and fiddled with his jumper sleeves. “Still, feels like a big step. Big change.”

“Ah?”

Seungyoun leaned forward and hit him with an intense stare. “You have doubts?”

“No! No, not at all!” Yibo dismissed him and shook his head vehemently, then willed down the smirk on his lips and the flush on his cheeks. “I’m sure. Xiao Zhan is sure. But… it’s usually not done so early, right? Most people wait a while until they move in together.”

Seungyoun screwed up his face. “Since when does Wang Yibo care about what everyone else does or thinks?”

Yibo almost choked, then gave his soon-to-be ex-roommate a filthy glare. “I’m trying to be an adult about it.”

“Mn,” Seungyoun agreed casually and nodded. “Well, most people probably would wait. Not all though. And it depends on how committed you are.”

Yibo remained still for a few seconds. Then he nodded to himself.

“I’m moving. So, was that true about Wenhan…”

In the end, they agreed that Wenhan, who was in a bit of a hurry to find a new place, could move in on Saturday. Yibo would have moved all of his belongings over easily by then. In fact, he only ended up taking two days, the task made easier by having Xiao Zhan’s car available.

“How many LEGO sets do you have?” Xiao Zhan asked, after Yibo pointedly took a box out of his arms and gave him a much lighter bag to carry.

“I don’t know, didn’t have space to take them all out, so most of them lived in boxes.”

Yibo wondered though. He’d have to count soon!

“If you want, we can turn the bedroom upstairs into your office. You can have them all displayed on shelves!”

“Really?” Yibo stopped in his tracks and almost fell when Xiao Zhan bumped into his back.

“Of course, it’s your home now too, Yibo,” Xiao Zhan told him after finding his balance and snorted softly. “We should get rid of the bed, too. It’s no longer necessary and there’s another guest room.”

—

Now, Xiao Zhan was the last one Yibo saw before he closed his eyes, and the first one he took in when he woke up in the mornings. It was magical, really, and on his second day after fully moving in, Yibo allowed himself a few precious moments of staring at his love, still deeply asleep and snoring softly.

Did it already sink in that Yibo would have this every day now? Not fully. A part of him still wondered whether he was dreaming and maybe he still pinched himself occasionally.

When Xiao Zhan opened his eyes, still sleep-drunk and confused, Yibo couldn’t help but smile brightly, heart fluttering madly in his chest and overflowing with love.

“Hey,” he whispered and moved in to nudge his nose against Xiao Zhan’s face, feeling him warm and soft and slightly scratchy against him.

Yibo let out a small growl that had Xiao Zhan pull in a sharp breath of air and clutch at his naked shoulder.

“Sweetheart,” he whispered back, sounding a little out of breath. “I really can’t deal with that voice of yours in the mornings.”

Xiao Zhan pulled him closer and Yibo smirked when he felt his ge’s morning wood press against his own crotch, where he was dealing with a similar problem.

“I’ll help you deal,” he said suggestively and wiggled his eyebrows, prompting Xiao Zhan to snort and blink the last cobwebs of sleep away.

“Such a flirt.”

Then he rolled on top of him and they didn’t leave the bedroom for another forty-five minutes, at least.

Now, Yibo was standing in front of the coffee machine, frothing milk and thinking about the feel of Xiao Zhan’s cock in his mouth. The way he had twitched on Yibo’s tongue, stretched his jaw and the way he shot down his throat when Xiao Zhan fell apart, all desperate moans and holding on to Yibo’s hair for dear life.

Oh, it was wonderful! And then Xiao Zhan had returned the favour and made Yibo come in an almost embarrassingly short time. Xiao Zhan had choked a little on him and apologized for being ‘rusty’ and Yibo giggled a little to himself while rolling his eyes, finding it very sweet that Xiao Zhan didn’t even know how much everything he did turned him on.

At least he had realized that his ‘rustiness’ didn’t matter at all and made wide eyes when Yibo came like a fountain in his mouth.

“Yibo! Your milk is done!”

“Ah…!”

With a start, Yibo turned down the steam and sheepishly swirled his milk around, relieved that he hadn’t messed up the texture. He really needed to stop thinking about his ge 24/7, especially now that he almost had him 24/7, but it was harder said than done.

Especially when Xiao Zhan came over on his lunch break and gave Yibo a sweet kiss on the cheek when no one was looking, then winked, sat down and ate his bagel and totally threw Yibo off for the rest of his shift.

He was about to sprinkle some chocolate powder onto a green tea, smiling to himself, when Jackson quickly grabbed him by the elbow and avoided a mishap.

“You’re cock-drunk!” his friend whispered and made Yibo gasp in outrage, the smile slipping off his face and being replaced by a very potent glare.

Jackson squirmed under it.

“Aiyaa, don’t look at me like that. I’m not wrong! Everyone can see those hickeys and you know there are bite marks on your shoulder?”

Yibo innocently adjusted his shirt collar and shrugged, even though he knew he was flushing right now.

“The heat of the moment… you know?”

“Ehehehehe, yes?”

Jackson crossed his arms in front of him, a curious glimmer in his eyes, and Yibo immediately closed his mouth again.

“That’s ALL I’m going to say on that matter.”

His friend’s face fell, and he sulked a little, but Yibo stayed adamant. What they did in the bedroom and other rooms and the fact that Xiao Zhan apparently loved biting, nibbling and sucking marks into his skin remained only their own business. But maybe he had to urge gege to do it in places he could easily cover up.

—

“Hey, you got any plans for Saturday night?” Xiao Zhan asked as he was driving them back home. With how flexible Xiao Zhan’s work hours were, they were often able to go to work together and Yibo loved finishing his shift while his boyfriend was already waiting for him. He loved a lot of things these days, and the smile on his face was somewhat permanent.

Some of his regular customers had even congratulated him on ‘scoring that handsome gentleman from across the road’ and Yibo wondered how many of them had secretly observed their flirtatious dancing the last couple of months. It appeared that they hadn’t been as subtle as they thought they were and when Yibo had shared his guess with Li Qin, his boss had laughed out loud and revealed that people were taking bets on when they would get together.

In the end, Mr. Zhou from the flower shop next door had won and Yibo was left speechless!

Xiao Zhan laughed when he told him and had said that people in his office had done the same and his secretary had been the one to guess correctly.

“Wow,” Yibo had said.

“I know, right?” Xiao Zhan had replied cheerfully.

Yibo grinned, as he relived those memories, feeling endeared. At least everyone was rooting for them and that was a nice thing to know!

“I’m free, always free for you,” he replied and admired his boyfriend next to him, who had his eyes fixed on the road. Since his accident, Xiao Zhan had become an even more mindful driver, keeping eagle eyes on every crossing, and Yibo couldn’t blame him.

“I thought we could go on another date? I’ll take you back to the hot pot place if you like.”

That’s how they found themselves on an outside table across from each other, the stars and fairylights above them and a vast spread of delicious food laid out in front of them.

“We had such a perfect first date here,” Xiao Zhan mused and nudged the coriander closer to Yibo. He knew his eating habits by now, and Yibo took the offered plate gladly.

“Mn,” he nodded and handed Xiao Zhan the chili oil. “I was so nervous at the start, I could hardly talk.”

“I noticed that,” Xiao Zhan said with a wink. “That’s why I was yapping so much. Trying to make you comfortable.”

“And it worked!” Yibo grinned as he chewed on a pork dumpling. “I can’t remember ever feeling this comfortable so quickly…”

Xiao Zhan sent him a pleased smile. “I’m glad,” he whispered. “Glad that you feel safe with me.”

Feeling soft and gooey all over, Yibo returned the smile. “Always.”

On their way to the bar they went to last time, they held hands, and even though it wasn’t the first time and not even the second or third, Yibo was beaming, sneaking looks at his ge, bumping into him and a spring in his step. The butterflies in his stomach were still there and as strong as ever and he suddenly needed to tell Xiao Zhan how much he loved him!

But before Yibo could turn towards his boyfriend, Xiao Zhan let out a gasp and walked backwards, pulling Yibo with him and tensing up.

“What… gege?” Yibo asked in confusion, but as soon as the car came to a stop in front of the pedestrian crossing, he knew what was happening and his heart lurched painfully in his chest. Xiao Zhan was scared.

“It’s alright, baobei. See? They stopped. We can cross now, yes?”

Yibo extricated his hand from Xiao Zhan’s deathgrip and went to his left side, the one closest to the car.

Then he took his boyfriend by the elbow and encouraged him to keep walking, which Xiao Zhan did after a moment’s hesitation.

“Good,” Yibo murmured. “That’s good. I know it’s scary, but you’ll be alright. Not everyone is careless, ge. See? Here we are…”

When they emerged on the other side and the car drove off, Xiao Zhan let out a shaky breath and turned sheepishly towards him.

“Thanks, Yibo,” he said pitifully and was pulled into a hug straight away, Yibo’s arms wrapping around his back and encouraging him to lean into it.

He felt Xiao Zhan’s rapid heartbeat against his own chest, and it made him feel slightly feral. If anyone would get too close to his ge, he might do something stupid.

“I didn’t think it would hit me like that,” Xiao Zhan admitted when he pulled back, avoiding Yibo’s eyes and looking to the side.

“Don’t feel ashamed, ge. It’s perfectly normal to be reluctant now. It’ll get better again. And if not, we’ll get you someone to talk to, okay?”

“Mn, sounds reasonable,” Xiao Zhan replied and Yibo felt him calm down underneath the soothing circles he rubbed onto his back.

He gave his ge a proud nod. “We’ll get there. Do you still want to have a drink or go home and talk?”

Xiao Zhan smiled and Yibo was glad to see that the incident didn’t seem to have rattled him too much.

“I’d like to talk about it. Maybe tomorrow? Not today. Let’s go to the bar.”

They were lucky, and the corner table from last time was still empty. Xiao Zhan insisted on getting them drinks, ‘just like last time’ and Yibo could do nothing but indulge his ge, admiring him from afar when he stood at the bar.

“I was checking you out so hard the last time we were here,” he blurted out as soon as Xiao Zhan had returned with seemingly the same drinks they had last time. “Your ass looked so good. Like a peach!”

Xiao Zhan choked and elbowed him in the side. “A peach, huh?”

“It’s a compliment!”

“Aiya, sweet boy, I know! I’m … I think I’m getting used to those, finally,” Xiao Zhan replied and chuckled to himself before clinking their glasses together. “Cheers. To us.”

“To us,” Yibo responded and took a sip, this time not choking on his straw and humming happily.

“Tastes nice. Sweet.”

“Hm? Let me get a taste,” Xiao Zhan asked heatedly and Yibo held his glass out to him, which Xiao Zhan took and put on the table, before reaching for his face and pressing their lips together.

Oh, right? A taste…

Yibo opened his mouth willingly, letting Xiao Zhan’s eager tongue in and tasting his ge’s cocktail, something sour and slightly bitter and sweet, maybe grapefruit?

When they had their fill, Xiao Zhan leaned back, but his hands remained where they were, cupping Yibo’s face and stroking his cheeks gently.

“You were insanely attractive back then, Yibo. With your ridiculous lips and those wide smiles only for me. It was driving me crazy. I wanted you so much. Back then. Thought about you when I got home…”

“Me too!” Yibo almost shouted, feeling as close as never before to his gege. Connected on a deeper level than he could imagine. He wanted Xiao Zhan to know him, every part of him. No secrets between them.

“I jerked off when I got home,” he whispered and winked, a small naughty smile on his face that made Xiao Zhan’s lips part and his eyes go darker than before.

“Yibao… maybe we should get a cab home after this one.”

“That’s a great idea, gege!”

They made out in the back of the taxi like teenagers, and Yibo felt a little bad for the poor driver who had his eyes fixed on the road ahead, pretending like nothing unusual was going on and Yibo didn’t have Xiao Zhan’s mouth glued to his own, nipping, sucking, biting, their tongues entangled and breaths intermingled.

Yibo felt too hot in his pink jacket, and he took it off then and there, Xiao Zhan’s helping hands more hindrance than actual assistance and they ended up giggling breathlessly when Yibo’s arm got stuck and they had to move apart to rescue him.

By the time they were done, the taxi had arrived home, and Xiao Zhan gave the driver a generous tip. For his troubles.

They shushed each other while scrambling up the stairs, being loud and ridiculous and hardly intoxicated from the one drink they had, but still feeling somewhat drunk on each other.

When the door closed behind them, Xiao Zhan lifted Yibo up, hands under his butt, and pressed him against the door, where he swallowed his surprised gasp and continued where they stopped in the back of the car, all the while kneading Yibo’s ass cheeks and making him squirm.

“Ge,” Yibo whined when he couldn’t bear all the clothes between them anymore. He was hard and desperate and starting to feel uncomfortable in his confines.

“Mn?” Xiao Zhan murmured against the side of his neck, nudging him and sucking another mark into his skin.

Yibo yelped, as his whole body felt tingly with it and his cock twitched in his jeans.

“Need…. need… off…clothes,” he spluttered, tongue feeling too heavy to move and form proper words, but Xiao Zhan understood him, nonetheless. Because he always did.

Slowly, he let Yibo go and helped him back to his feet and if Yibo’s legs were slightly wobbly and he clutched at his ge’s shoulders for support, that was only normal.

“What do you want tonight, baobei?” Xiao Zhan asked in that ridiculously attractive hot, breathy voice and Yibo swallowed hard, hot all over and buzzing.

“Want you inside,” he whispered back, butterflies of nervous anticipation fluttering in his stomach but voice steady and sure of himself. It was what he wanted. What he couldn’t stop thinking about.

“I…yeah…yes,” Xiao Zhan replied, now the one falling over his words and he pulled Yibo back against him, hands immediately wandering lower to knead his ass more insistently while Yibo started rolling his hips forward, biting his lower lip to keep the needy whines inside. For now.

“Upstairs. In bed,” Yibo said, took his ge’s hand and pulled him up the stairs quickly, not wanting to waste any more time. As soon as they were in the bedroom and the door was closed to keep a curious Jianguo out, Yibo started fiddling with the zipper of Xiao Zhan’s jeans, hands a little clumsy in their eagerness and laughed breathlessly when Xiao Zhan pulled his jumper over his head at the same time.

Once they were in nothing but their underwear, Yibo pushed his ge backwards onto the mattress and crawled on top of him, heart beating quickly and breaths coming fast already.

Xiao Zhan’s hands came up immediately, massaging his thighs, then moving up higher to hold on to his waist, eyes roaming over his body and lips slightly parted.

A shiver ran down Yibo’s spine when he became aware of Xiao Zhan drinking him up, eyes dark and intense and fingers digging into his skin harder.

Yibo let out a needy whine, then bent down, plastered his body to his ge’s and kissed him hungrily, all open-mouthed and wet, licking over his lips and into his mouth while Xiao Zhan’s hand slipped into the back of his underwear and stroked over his crack.

“You sure?” his ge murmured into his ear softly, making Yibo shiver all over, and he nodded confidently.

“Yeah. It’s what I like.”

He felt the smile, more than he saw it, and Xiao Zhan’s lips pressing against the sensitive skin under his ear made him almost light-headed with desire, cock twitching demandingly against his ge’s abdomen.

“You know what you want, ah? So sexy,” Xiao Zhan whispered heatedly and squeezed his butt cheeks while Yibo moaned helplessly against his neck.

When Xiao Zhan opened him up, it was gentle and careful. Yibo was on his back with his legs spread, while Xiao Zhan knelt between his thighs, one hand on his cock, stroking him slowly and one lubed up digit moving inside of him.

“It’s okay?” he asked, eyes locked on Yibo’s face, searching for any sign of discomfort.

His ge was too considerate!

“Feels good, you’re perfect,” Yibo breathed and bit his bottom lip when Xiao Zhan gave his cock a squeeze.

“Another finger, ge.”

“Yeah? Okay.”

Yibo smiled to himself and let out a gasp at the stretch, relishing the feel of Xiao Zhan’s fingers dragging along his walls, preparing him.

“God, you feel so good, Yibo,” Xiao Zhan muttered, and when Yibo focused his unsteady gaze on him, he found nothing but wonder and desire in his eyes.

It made his chest swell with feelings he needed to express urgently, but when Xiao Zhan’s fingers twisted upwards and hit his prostate, Yibo let out a surprised cry, spine arching off the mattress and startling his ge.

“Whoops,” Xiao Zhan muttered and winked playfully, making Yibo choke and let out a huff of incredulous laughter.

“Whoops,” Yibo echoed breathlessly and pushed his hips down demandingly, showing Xiao Zhan that he’d very much like this to happen again.

And his ge indulged him, not as rusty after all as he claimed to be, until Yibo was a moaning, shivery mess underneath him.

“Ge,” he wheezed, squeezing his eyes shut and willing himself to not blow too early. Xiao Zhan’s fingers rhythmically stimulating that sensitive bundle of nerves within him almost had him teetering on the edge, the familiar tightening in his groin too strong to ignore.

“I’m ready, please.”

Xiao Zhan stilled. Then he slowly pulled out, leaving Yibo empty and already regretting his decision.

He pouted a little, but before he could ask his ge to hurry up, Xiao Zhan leaned down and kissed him tenderly. Yibo felt like he was floating, the sensation so wonderful and sweet, he became all boneless and gooey, sinking deeper into the cushion and reaching up to cup Xiao Zhan’s face, stroking his cheekbones and showing him how loved he was.

Yibo didn’t notice that Xiao Zhan was blindly reaching into his bedside drawer until he dropped a condom wrapper right on his chest, then turned to the side and retrieved the open bottle of lube.

“How do you want it, sweetheart?” he asked, voice rough with desire and Yibo shivered a little, before swallowing and looping his arms around Xiao Zhan’s neck, pulling him in closer and cherishing his weight on top of him.

“Like this? Face to face. Close.”

Xiao Zhan nodded, eyes bright and a soft smile on his lips.

“Yeah, let me just…”

He heaved himself up and got on his knees, all naked and gorgeous between Yibo’s spread legs.

If Yibo licked his suddenly dry lips and gulped, that was a perfectly normal reaction. He was glad he was already lying down, otherwise his wobbly legs wouldn’t be able to hold him any longer.

When Xiao Zhan reached for the condom wrapper and began opening it carefully, Yibo noticed his hands were shaking, and his breath stuttered to a halt as his heart doubled in size and squeezed his chest.

“Xiao Zhan?” he asked, voice almost breaking with all the feelings currently swirling around in his guts. “Are you alright?”

His ge’s hands stilled, and he looked into Yibo’s eyes, honest and open. There was no judgement there and never would be.

“I’m okay. Just want this so much. And I’m a bit nervous I guess,” Xiao Zhan admitted and smiled, unashamed.

Yibo nodded and smiled back. Then he spoke his truth.

“I love you.”

The moment those words left Yibo’s lips, he felt something inside of him, something huge and meaningful, settle into place and click in.

“I love you, too, Wang Yibo. With all my heart,” Xiao Zhan replied passionately and took a deep breath, then shook his head while letting out a somewhat wet chuckle.

“I fell in love with you as soon as I saw you, ge. I just knew. Knew you’re my …soulmate,” Yibo whispered back urgently and reached out for his ge, who was ripping the condom wrapper open, eyes never leaving Yibo’s face and showing nothing but want and affection.

“When I walked into the café for the first time and saw you, I knew that there would only ever be one person for me. You. Only you, Yibo.”

Xiao Zhan pumped his cock once, twice, then rolled the condom on and coated himself with a generous amount of lube.

Yibo made grabby hands at him, no longer able to bear the distance between them.

When Xiao Zhan sank down on top of him, Yibo’s arms wrapped around his back tightly and he tilted his head, making his intentions clear and every muttered breathy “I love you” in between their heated kisses made Yibo’s heart grow bigger and his arousal more urgent.

Xiao Zhan’s slippery fingers breaching his rim made him gasp and throw his head back, only for Xiao Zhan to latch on to his neck and suck on his Adam’s Apple.

Yibo’s cock twitched dangerously.

“Lift up your bum, sweetheart,” Xiao Zhan whispered, and when Yibo did, he shoved a pillow under his ass.

“Okay?” Xiao Zhan asked after repositioning himself, looking and feeling like he was close to vibrating out of his skin.

“Yeah. Please,” Yibo urged him and bit his bottom lip when he felt the head of Xiao Zhan’s cock press against his entrance, breaching and stretching him slowly.

The initial discomfort of the intrusion made him furrow his brow, but when Xiao Zhan noticed and tried to remove himself, Yibo wrapped his legs around his ge’s waist, locking him in place.

“It’s okay, just go slow. Like this,” he murmured and pulled Xiao Zhan in for a deep kiss. “Don’t worry.”

When Xiao Zhan pulled back, his gaze was intent, searching his face, but after he found what he was looking for, he nodded and placed a soft kiss to the corner of Yibo’s left eye, then let his fingers run through his hair.

Yibo hummed and swallowed a gasp when Xiao Zhan began moving further inside of him and oh, the pressure and the stretch were a little painful but also delicious and Yibo whined helplessly, overwhelmed in the best sense.

Xiao Zhan stroked his cheeks through it, caressed his face and told him how amazing he felt, how well he was doing.

And slowly, Yibo’s body adjusted. The sting remained, but became fainter, pushed to the back and replaced by a wonderful feeling of fullness. Of being connected to his gege.

“God, Yibo,” Xiao Zhan hissed through his teeth and moaned filthily into Yibo’s ear, making him shiver and buck his hips upwards, finding friction where his cock was trapped between both of their bodies and almost choking with the force of the sudden double sensation.

“Move, please,” he begged and tightened his hold on Xiao Zhan’s shoulders, gasping as soon as Xiao Zhan pulled back, then pushed back in again, maddeningly slow.

Yibo whimpered, and he wasn’t proud of it, but oh, this was just too good, unbelievably so, and he felt his skin break out in goosebumps.

His ge was inside of him. Fucking him slowly and sweetly and Yibo was about to lose his mind.

It appeared that he wasn’t the only one though, as after a few more slow but deep thrusts, Xiao Zhan stilled and took a deep breath through his nose.

“Give me a second, love,” he pressed out and adjusted himself on his elbows, while Yibo remained unmoving, despite the urge to rotate his hips and have Xiao Zhan’s cock drag deliciously along his walls.

But his ge seemed to be struggling, so Yibo stroked his shoulders instead, all along his arms, up and down, then drew circles into the slightly sweaty skin of his back and mouthed at his jaw.

“You can cum if you need to,” he whispered. This was all so novel and overwhelming for them. He understood and didn’t want his ge to hold himself back or feel bad if it ended earlier than they wanted it. And also, they could wait and always go for a second round.

But Xiao Zhan just huffed, kissed Yibo sloppily, then heaved himself up onto his knees, pulling Yibo along against his crotch and making him yelp as he lifted his legs, shins now resting against Xiao Zhan’s shoulders.

“Oh.” Yibo exhaled, feeling dumbstruck and also incredibly turned on by his ge manhandling him so suddenly. Xiao Zhan was towering over him now, a lazy half-smirk on his face and eyes half-lidded while his thumbs massaged Yibo’s waist.

“Not so quick,” he said, and winked. Then he snapped his hips forward and Yibo almost saw stars the same moment he realized he had completely misinterpreted his ge's behaviour.

He was too stunned to utter any sound and only the second time Xiao Zhan pummeled right into that most sensitive spot inside of him did he let out a wheezy moan, shivering all over and his abdomen on fire.

“More, baobei? You like that?” Xiao Zhan asked, feverishly and Yibo nodded helplessly, unable to form words and trying to come to grips with this version of his ge that had just taken over.

He was about to get whiplash! Here he was, thinking Xiao Zhan was hanging on by a threat. But it seemed like the issue he was dealing with was losing himself and fucking Yibo right through the mattress. He might have been nervous, but he was also older and had experience even if it had been a while. And who knew what Xiao Zhan enjoyed when he was on his own?

Yibo wanted to know. He wanted to know every single thing that turned his ge on, wanted to know how he pleasured himself, what brought him over the edge quickly, and where he was most sensitive.

There was so much to explore and discover. Yibo felt a little lightheaded with desire and want. It multiplied once he took in the state of his ge, all sweaty, panting and eyes incredibly dark. Yibo admired his pecs and his muscular upper arms, licking his lips and wishing he were closer to touch, squeeze, and stroke.

That was for another time.

Right now, Xiao Zhan had made it his mission to plow into him and bring him steadily closer to the edge.

The way Xiao Zhan’s cock brushed past his prostate made Yibo shiver and twist his body. He wanted it full-on, needed to feel the sensation that set all his nerve ends on fire, but Xiao Zhan pressed him down, almost folded him in half, and gave him a knowing grin.

“Don’t worry, gege will take care of you.”

Yibo whined in response, now unable to move, and held on to Xiao Zhan’s wrists, feeling the tension under his hot skin and throwing his head back when finally, Xiao Zhan hit him straight on. And he didn’t just do it once. He kept battering him until Yibo was squirming and blabbering, feeling like his whole body was ablaze. He wasn’t even aware that he had started leaking. Only when Xiao Zhan chuckled breathlessly, and slowed down his thrusts, did he open his eyes and blinked, slightly quivering and so close, almost at the edge… Xiao Zhan’s thrusts were slower now, but still precise, and Yibo felt the tempest within him build relentlessly.

“You’re all wet, baobei, is it so good?” Xiao Zhan asked, sounding a little smug but mostly awed, and Yibo gave him a shaky smile, followed by a breathy moan.

“Close…” was all he was able to press out and Xiao Zhan cocked his head, hair all messy and stunning, and picked up the pace once again.

Yibo’s plush lips fell open, and he started keening, not sure if he had ever made noises like this, but unable and unwilling to stop them.

Xiao Zhan had leaned back slightly, sitting on his knees and he pulled Yibo towards him like a ragdoll, lifting him up and squeezing his butt cheeks hard, making him choke in surprise and claw helplessly at every part of his ge he could reach.

“Fuck, you’re amazing, Yibo,” Xiao Zhan wheezed out between thrusts and pants and deep moans.

The way their skin slapped together was almost obscene, and Yibo was glad that the neighbours were all far away. If they pulled this in his old apartment, everyone and their dogs would hear what was going on.

Yibo’s breath caught in his throat, and he gulped for air as the new angle made him soar towards release even faster and he looked down at his own cock, hard and shiny with pre-cum, slapping against his tummy as Xiao Zhan’s wild thrusts kept rocking him forward.

“I’m gonna…gonna…,” Yibo began, but before he could finish his sentence, the tension in his abdomen became too tight and snapped, and his body convulsed as wave after wave of pleasure spread through him. Xiao Zhan fucked him through his orgasm, literally fucked the cum out of him and Yibo felt, more than saw, his own spent hit his stomach and chest.

It almost was too much, and just before the wonderful feeling of release could tip into overstimulation, Xiao Zhan pushed deep inside of him and cried out. His ge began trembling, his thighs shaking against Yibo’s skin and pulsed inside of him, coming into the condom and desperately moaning through it while his hands on Yibo’s waist tightened.

When he pulled out carefully, Yibo blinked, slowly coming back down to earth and whining at the loss.

Xiao Zhan shushed him and sank down next to him, all boneless, sweaty and warm.

Yibo immediately rolled into him, hissing at the soreness and feeling Xiao Zhan’s welcoming arms pull him in, wincing at the stickiness spread between them, but not letting him go.

“I love you, baobei,” Xiao Zhan whispered and kissed the crown of his head. “Thank you. For trusting me.”

Yibo mewled like a lazy and content house cat, digging deeper into Xiao Zhan’s embrace, until nothing would fit between them any longer.

“Love you too, Xiao Zhan. Thank you for choosing me.”

Xiao Zhan chuckled wetly against him and when Yibo looked up, he was surprised to see the tears on his cheeks.

But he was also smiling. Smiling brilliantly and taking his breath away.

“I’ll choose you, Wang Yibo. In every lifetime. Always. Forever.”

The End

…. or is it?

Epilogue

…5 years later…

“Aiya, I am feeling so sentimental! Wang Yibo, what are your plans?”

Yibo chuckled as he opened the door to the café he hadn’t set foot in since Xiao Zhan and he had moved away two years ago.

A lot had happened during the last five years and by now, sneaking in here under the cover of the night was their best option.

Yibo’s dancing career hadn’t just taken off. No, it had exploded, and he had become somewhat of a celebrity, even though he still cringed when he saw himself on TV or when Xiao Zhan told him about the newest article or hot search he came across.

He could still walk around freely, for the most part, especially when he disguised himself, but for tonight, he didn’t want to risk any unwanted attention.

No, tonight was special. Tonight was for them only.

The familiar smell hit Yibo in the face and for a moment he was back there, standing behind the coffee machine, frothing his milk and keeping an eye on the door, wondering whether the handsome gege from across the road would make an appearance, all giddy and nervous and waiting with bated breath.

A small and genuine smile brightened Yibo’s features and the butterflies in his stomach began fluttering, as they did so often when he thought of his handsome boyfriend or looked at him.

He did that now, following his ge, as he paced around the café, that looked so familiar but also so different. The tables were arranged differently. The cake cabinet that dimly illuminated the shop had been replaced, but the coffee machine was still the same.

Yibo huffed.

Just like them. Different, but also still the same.

Xiao Zhan was as handsome as ever. His hair was longer now, and he kept part of it in a little bun that made Yibo crazy. He wouldn’t be able to count the number of times he had jumped his ge. It just happened too often! Yibo was still helplessly and unconditionally in love with Xiao Zhan and those feelings were returned just as fiercely.

After Yibo had won a street dance show on TV and became so popular with the producers, colleagues and fans alike, he had been hired as a captain and was now starting his 2^nd season. It was an exciting and rewarding life, but it had also meant moving to a different city, closer to his studio.

In the end, the universe was on their side.

Xiao Zhan and Xuan Lu had decided to open another office for their design company and Xiao Zhan took the chance to run it gladly, arguing that he needed a new challenge as well.

So they packed up their belongings and Jianguo and made the step.

It wasn’t always easy, but they never looked back and there were no regrets.

Xiao Zhan had taken a step back, now working as a supervisor and jumping in whenever he felt the need. He had made a point of supporting Yibo’s career, and often he was there with him backstage, especially at the start when Yibo was sick with nervousness. The mental breakdowns were easier to weather with his ge’s soothing presence by his side, and Yibo wasn’t sure he could have made it without him.

There had been some voices speaking up about Yibo being so open about his relationship, and a few people had advised him to keep Xiao Zhan a secret.

After Yibo had glared them into the ground and told them firmly that it was not an option, they had all shuffled away, tail between their legs and shortly after, the voices had quieted down for good.

Yibo loved his career. But not as much as he loved Xiao Zhan.

“Gege,” he called out softly and made his beautiful boyfriend stop pacing, then cock his head at him.

“Ah?”

“Would you come over?”

Without hesitation, Xiao Zhan walked over to where Yibo was standing in front of the coffee machine. No longer a barista, but cherishing those memories and never letting them go.

When Xiao Zhan stood in front of him, gorgeous and shining, the image of his past version, the one Yibo fell in love with, shortly overlapped with his current self and the smile on Yibo’s face became brighter, his eyes more sparkling.

Then. Now. Forever. He would always love his ge.

And then Yibo went down on one knee in front of the love of his life, pulled a delicate box out of his pocket and asked the most important question in the entire world.

And his ge said Yes.