Play Pretend (1/3)
Title: Play Pretend
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Yifan/Yixing
Genre: College AU, Fake Dating AU, Romance, Fluff, Smut
Summary: Yixing has had enough and roping Yifan into his problem is the only option he is left with. His roommate seems to be up for the challenge though and everything is going smoothly. But what is he going to do if the feelings he’s been bottling up slip into their act. Will he put a leash on them or allow them to run free?
Word Count: 21k
Warnings: Handjobs
Notes: Originally written for Exo University fest :) Meant to answer the lack of fake dating au fics for fanxing so I hope everyone enjoys it though I am pretty sure you’ll get frustrated while reading this /).(\ Thank you Katja for reading through this mess and for always leaving fun comments for me to read :)
Sorry in advance because the spacing is all fucked up right now. I don't really know what happened. I'll fix it when I have time ;~;
Yixing almost pops a nerve.
“Hi Yixing Ge!” A bright smile welcomes the dance major when he opens the door of his dorm room to leave for his 9am class. Instead of returning the gesture, however, Yixing steps back and grumbles, not wanting to entertain the other even if he knows that the boy probably waited just to pick him up and walk him to his class.
The dancer doesn’t even remember meeting the other who presented himself as a junior from his high school but ever since the new semester started the boy has been following him around, fetching him from his classes and trying to squeeze himself beside the dance major whenever he is having his meal at the cafeteria alone. The freshman has even gone as far as giving Yixing a sketch he has done of the dancer since he is an art major. If the elder’s roommate had not commented about it being a good drawing he would have crumpled the paper and threw it in the rubbish already.
When Yixing hears footsteps coming from behind him, a light bulb appears above his head. He knows his roommate might kill him for this later but he needs to get rid of this kid and he can’t find a better way than this. So he waits for the heavy steps to reach him before turning to his side where the taller male is slipping his feet into his shoes. Without prompt, Yixing tiptoes and grabs the collar of his friend’s shirt to pull him down and seal their lips in a kiss, uncaring of the consequences of his actions later on. A hand surprisingly lands on his lower back, pulling him close and pressing him against a hard chest as the smacking of their lips resound in the small space they are sharing. The simple peck turns into something more passionate as his roommate reciprocates, pushing his lips against Yixing’s harder and even swiping his tongue on the younger’s bottom lip. The younger unconsciously moans when he feels the tongue slip past his lips and touch his own. The wet appendage twists with his and memorizes every inch of his mouth, moving expertly as if they are lovers that have been apart for a while.
Yixing pulls away with a gasp, the taller male leaning down afterwards to give his lips a peck before breathing heavily against his plump pair. After parting with the other, Yixing’s face flushed and lips slightly swollen, the dance major slowly regains his consciousness and looks towards the freshman to ask teasingly, “Have you met my boyfriend Yifan?”
The hand on his back moves to his waist as he turns to face his suitor fully, his roommate’s voice is deep when he greets the freshman who stands stunned at their sudden display, “Hello.”
They watch the boy’s eyes widen and look at the areas where their bodies are touching for a few seconds before Yixing decides to interrupt him, “Sorry but we have to go.”
“Yeah,” Yifan leans down to give the younger a peck on the cheek, smiling when the dance major looks at him with surprised eyes, “I still have to drop my baby to his class.”
The acting major lightly shoves the art freshman so he and Yixing can leave their room and close the door before he intertwines his fingers with the younger and pulls him by the hand, chuckling to himself when he looks over his shoulder to find the boy still standing in front of their room.
❤️
The dance major nervously looks behind him, hand still clasped with Yifan’s, not noticing the stares that they are receiving from the people they have pass by. When he’s one hundred percent sure that the freshman is already out of sight, he lets go of his roommate’s hand. A tingling feeling lingers where they were connected even moments after he has pulled away. The taller male looks confused at his actions, only understanding once Yixing has explained that his stalker-slash-suitor is already gone.
“I’m so sorry about that Yifan,” Yixing apologizes, hand gripping the strap of his duffel bag when he reluctantly looks up, prepared for a barrage of scolding from the elder. What he didn’t expect was for the taller one to be smiling at him. When the acting major takes his free hand with a smile on his face, the dancer shakes his head to check that he isn’t hallucinating.
“Yixing, it’s fine, totally fine,” the elder says, beaming at the dance major, “it’s great, even.” His hand tightens around the younger’s smaller one when he continues, “Actually, I should be thanking you. This will be a good way to practice my acting, don’t you think?”
The younger doesn’t know how to respond, shocked by the other’s reaction more than anything. So when Yifan repeats his question, he just nods dumbly.
“Better yet, we should let the whole campus think we’re together,” the acting major adds, humming as if to agree with his own genius idea. The smaller male doesn’t even get a say on it before he’s being pulled once again, the elder deciding to continue their pretend PDA by walking him to his class, his hand still trapped within the taller one’s own.
When Yifan leans down to give him a kiss on the cheek again as a form of saying goodbye, Yixing wonders how far he has to pretend and if his professor saw the taller male’s antics because with the way his classmates are looking at him and whispering to each other, he’s sure that they saw every little thing, even how his roommate whispered to his ear which he thinks is unnecessary. The blush on his cheeks that won’t go away no matter how hard he fans himself, prompts his classmates to tease him further about his newfound relationship with Yifan, his playful seatmates shooting hearts and pretending to mimic him and his roommate’s actions earlier. Yixing throws a few pieces of crumpled paper at Lu Han and Kai when the two don’t stop with their acts. Giving up that the others aren’t going to stop that easily, he just looks away and focuses on his professor’s lesson. However, his mind keeps flying back to the kiss he shared with Yifan and how the elder easily fell into character and even suggested to keep the act. With a mumbled expletive he lays his forehead against his open book, unsure whether he should thank or curse himself for his stupid idea that morning.
❤️
Yifan instantly falls into character whenever they are outside their dorm or when Yixing’s suitor is nearby. The taller male either places his arm over the dancer’s shoulder or interlaces his fingers with the smaller one’s, so casually and so naturally that if one would look without knowing the two they would think without having second thoughts that they are a real couple, one that many would envy because of how perfect they look together. Even Yixing himself thinks that if he did some astral projection and looked down where he left his body sitting beside the elder, he would also comment on them being a very believable pair. The younger commends his roommate’s acting abilities, knowing that they’re only able to pull the show because of the other’s skills and how the taller one saves them with his smooth explanation whenever someone approaches them to ask about their sudden coming out as a couple.
Even though the younger knew of his roommate’s major, he has never seen the elder’s acting itself, never having the chance to see the other showcase his talent. The taller male always shies away when the dance major opens the topic about the film project they made or the stage play he’s going to participate in, opting to talk about Yixing instead, always enthusiastically asking the younger about what he will be performing for the end of semester evaluations. Even so, the dancer can’t really say that he’s surprised since Yifan has told him before that the girls he ‘dates’ are all for practice as well. For a second, the younger felt bad for the females who have flung themselves to the acting major before when he heard this from his roommate even when Yifan explained further that the women who came into a ‘relationship’ with him know this as they are all girls he has worked with. Yixing wonders if he will be the same as those girls, that after this experiment, the elder will pretend again that nothing happened; that they didn’t share a few months together, didn’t kiss and hold hands.
The younger pulls himself away from his thoughts, not wanting to drown in them when the whole table’s attention is on them - their relationship. Kai and Lu Han have brought their teasing from the classroom to their dinner, sending hearts to the new couple while making smooching noises as they urge the two to share a kiss; they even go as far as tapping their glasses with their spoons like they do in weddings. Yifan looks at the younger when this happens for a second time. For the first time that day, Yixing sees hesitance in the elder’s eyes and something else, something that he can’t quite describe and put a name on. He looks away when he sees the taller male lean a bit closer to him, hands balling a used napkin before throwing it at the duo on the other side of the table.
“Are you guys legit?” Zitao inquires as he slams his tray onto the table. Sehun who is following closely behind him, places his own tray more quietly on the table, never one to call attention for himself. “What is this rumor going around campus? And you,” his voice crescendoes when he points to Yixing, “you weren’t answering my calls and messages! People were asking me, you know!”
“God,” Yixing prolongs the word as he wipes a hand over his face, allowing the snigger he hears from Yifan to slide because he can’t be mad at the other at any point of their fake relationship since the elder is his saving grace at the moment. “Can’t people keep their noses out of other people’s business?”
“They can’t,” Minseok answers for him, the Literature major who has been quietly reading a book - Does he ever put that down? Does he read in the shower too? - comments while pushing his glasses up his nose.
“Not when the Acting Department’s Heartthrob,” Jongdae butts in, putting his composition notebook down to point at Yifan with his pen before using the same item to Yixing, “and the Dance Department’s Cutie,” the description has the dancer’s eyes popping, a protest at the tip of his tongue cut short by the music major’s stare, “are now in a relationship.”
Yixing sits stunned in his place, he never really thought of his position in the university or what others think of him so he didn’t realize that this whole pretending thing will blow up this much. He’s brought back to reality when Yifan pulls him close by the shoulder again, the elder sounding smug when he says, “Oh well, guess no CC can beat us then if we have such titles.”
The taller one smiles at him and the whole table almost simultaneously pukes at the acting major’s comment about their newfound relationship. The elder doesn’t budge even when the dancer nudges him on his side, his hold on Yixing’s shoulder only tightens. While he locks gazes with Yifan, fear creeps into the smaller male that if he doesn’t look away, his heart will be unable to function properly anymore.
❤️
When they return to their dorm to turn in for the night, they find Yixing’s suitor standing in front of their door, hand balled in a fist which he slowly lifted in a pose to knock.
“What did you say the kid’s name is again?” Yifan asks, his lips too close for comfort to the dancer’s ear.
“Jinfeng,” the younger responds, without being too obvious with how he moved his head away from his roommate’s mouth. The hum that Yifan lets out, however, still manages to reach his ear and he has to suppress the shudder that threatens to rack his body because of it.
“Kid’s persistent,” the elder comments before sliding his hand from Yixing’s shoulder to the dancer’s hand to intertwine their fingers. With a look towards the younger, he asks, “Ready?” The dance major isn’t quite sure how and what to answer but it seems there’s no need for him to worry because Yifan is already pulling him towards their dorm room.
“Hey, kid,” the taller of the two lifts his free hand in greeting but the freshman doesn’t seem to appreciate it, retorting to the senior that he’s not a kid anymore. “Well, you look like one,” Yifan’s chuckle seems to get to the suitor’s nerves, balling his fists to his sides before giving the elder his meanest look which doesn’t really do anything to the tall Chinese.
“I’m not here to talk to you.” Jinfeng turns to where the apple of his eye is, trying his best to ignore Yifan. “Yixing Ge,” the freshman has a pleading tone and the dancer feels a bit guilty for a second, “I know you’re not in a relationship with this guy.” The younger points to the acting major who just gives him with a nonplussed reaction. “I’m sure you’re just doing this to test my loyalty to you but I really like you and I won’t give up until you return my feelings.”
When the smallest of the three surges forward to probably take Yixing’s hands like he did when he first saw the dance major in the campus, professing his undying love for his senior in the middle of the hallway, Yifan blocks him. The tall figure turns around and places both hands on the dancer’s shoulders with a mix of a serious and a caring expression on his face.
“Baobei,” the pet name surprises Yixing a little bit, the sweet way it is said with the correct accent has his insides melting that his brain halts for a moment before kickstarting again, “mind opening the door?” He nods and retrieves his keys from his pocket before turning to the door, his ears pricking up to hear everything that Yifan tells his suitor.
“Look here, kid.” Jinfeng reluctantly looks at Yifan, his view of Yixing blocked by the elder’s broad figure. “I don’t care if you believe that Yixing and I are dating or not, nothing about our relationship is going to change.” Even with the key already inserted in the hole, the dancer still doesn’t turn it to open the door. He awaits the elder’s following words, knowing by instincts that he still has something to say. What the taller one says next has the younger’s fingers slipping from where they were holding the key, the serious and possessive tone in Yifan’s voice sending unwarranted ripples of want all over his body, “He’s mine. That too, will never change.”
Next thing Yixing knows, he’s being ushered gently into the dorm with his roommate’s hard and warm chest pressed to his back. He doesn’t hear anything from Jinfeng, no knock coming from the other side either. Yifan doesn’t say anything after, just excusing himself to take a shower with a small smile on his lips.
When the elder returns, his dyed blond hair is still wet from his shower and some areas of his shirt and sweats cling to his body because of his damp skin. Yixing wills himself to look away, reminding himself that the taller male being his boyfriend is just an act; he doesn’t have to look at Yifan like he desires him. But he can’t help it especially when the front of the actor’s shirt is showing the shape of the elder’s abs, the cloth following the lines that his roommate forgot to wipe down. He presses his lips together when the other clears his throat and says, “Something you want to say?” Yixing nods even though he doesn’t really have anything to say so to avoid the other’s teasing he tries to come up with something before the taller one can think that his earlier staring was anything but suspicious.
“I just wanted to thank you.”
Yifan finally sits on his own bed pushing himself towards the wall until his back hits the thin material of wood that separates their room from the one beside theirs.
“That’s nothing, Xing.” The way his nickname falls from the elder’s lips sounds so loving that he momentarily thinks that what they have is real but he’s jerked back to reality by the taller’s voice again. “Anything I can do to help you. Besides, the kid’s been pestering you and he can’t seem to understand that a no is a no. He’s stressing you out so much that I haven’t even been able to see your dimple lately.” The corners of Yixing’s lips instantly lifts up a little, enough to show a hint of the indentation on his right cheek, the curve of his lips is immediately mirrored by the elder whose smile turns into a grin as the younger’s does so as well.
“Really, though,” Yixing maneuvers them back to the topic, “I appreciate it but you don’t have to go so far as you did a while ago.”
“It’s alright,” the taller reassures his roommate again, “besides he already suspected that our relationship is fake so we have to do everything to make the act believable, even more so now, don’t you think?”
The younger can’t disagree with his friend’s statement, knowing that they have to do everything to make Jinfeng and the whole student body - though that’s just a plus - fall for their acting. When Yifan hears no protest from the younger, he finally lies down properly and rests his head on his pillow before turning to face the wall - his usual position. Yixing makes himself comfortable on his bed as well, having already showered after his practice and changed while Yifan was out for his shower.
Once Yixing turns off his night lamp, he hears the taller call out to him, “Good night, baobei.” It comes out so naturally from the elder’s lips that once again he feels his body melting into his bed but he reminds himself that it is all pretend so he grumbles for show as well.
“We’re inside our room, Yifan,” he throws to the other who still has his back to the younger, “no need for terms of endearment.”
Yixing sees the outline of the elder’s shoulder shrug before his roommate turns his head around slightly to answer him, “Just helping you get used to it.”
The younger doesn’t have a smart retort only gratitude to the darkness in their room for covering the blush on his cheeks. Instead of saying something sharp he just groans out, “Just go to sleep. Don’t want your skin to suffer.” He hears the other snort then everything is silent again.
Yixing isn’t sure, as his eyes follow the length of Yifan’s body, if this is the best solution for his problem but he can’t do anything about it but to go with the flow.
❤️
The rest of the week has Yifan clinging to Yixing with the younger acting along and pretending to be annoyed every now and then. But he always opens his mouth when the elder tries to feed him something, always tightens his grip around Yifan’s hand when the actor laces their fingers together, always lifts his head when the taller calls him baobei and his heart always flutters at every little thing the other does. And everybody in the campus seems to have fallen for their act, swooning every time they are seen walking hand in hand in the hallways of the university. Except for one person.
“They look really suspicious,” Sehun murmurs as he and Zitao walk away from their lunch table, leaving earlier than their friends who have classes later in the afternoon.
“Who?” The Chinese asks, half-interested in what the other is talking about as he looks through his final designs that they are supposed to submit that day.
“Yifan and Yixing,” the younger answers before glancing behind them to where the topic of their conversation are still stuck to each other’s side with the taller of the two whispering something to the other’s ear.
“What’s so suspicious about them?” The olive-skinned boy is still giving his designs a final critic as he converses with the other, a bit confused that Sehun is bringing the topic up. “We all know they’ve been secretly liking each other since forever,” the elder reminds the Korean while he places his sketches back into the envelope, “so what’s so surprising about them being together?”
“It happened so suddenly though, don’t you think so too?” The younger doesn’t let it go that easily. Not that he isn’t happy for his two older friends if they really are together now. It’s just that Sehun is perpetually curious and he can’t accept the fact that they just happened when the two always asked them not to make such a big fuss out of their little crush for the other.
“Whether it happened fast or not, should it matter? What does is that they’re together now,” Zitao responds, opening the door for Sehun before continuing, “and our days of watching them silently pine for the other is over.” The Korean walks into the classroom, dropping the topic for the moment but he will surely bring it up again. For now, however, he needs to focus on his lessons, the matter about Yifan and Yixing can wait anyway.
❤️
“Wait for me,” Sehun calls out to the new campus couple when he spots them coming out of the Performing Arts Building with Yifan and Yixing holding hands like normal couples do.
“Oh, hey Sehun!” Yixing lifts his free hand to wave at the younger. “Where’s Zitao?” The dancer asks, knowing how the two are practically attached at the hip since they met.
“He had something to get from his room,” the younger answers truthfully, not adding the information that he ran away from waiting for the Chinese to return to find them instead.
“Ah, want to walk with us to the cafeteria then?” Yixing offers with a smile on his face before the older of the two joins the conversation.
“Yixing owes me an ice cream though,” Yifan reminds the younger, tightening his grip on the other’s hand when he looks down to get the dancer’s attention, “so we have to stop by the ice cream shop first.” He grins when he sees the smaller one’s eyes widen after the elder’s reminder, recognition in his brown orbs at the promise he told the other the night before.
“Aiyo, right!” Yixing bites the inside of his cheek afterwards, then he looks up at the elder again to ask, “Can’t we just have the ice cream for dessert?” The taller male pouts, Wu Yifan pouts, and furrows his eyebrows a little before a protest leaves his lips.
“But Yixing!” His pouting lips jut out even further, eyes growing big to plead at the other.
Sehun clears his throat then, reminding the two that they are not alone. He was slightly derailed from his plans when he saw Yifan pout, thinking it was a ridiculous sight and how the actor has started making faces he usually wouldn’t wear ever since he and Yixing came into a relationship - one that the Korean still doesn’t believe. The two whip their heads to where he is and he smiles crookedly.
“It’s okay,” the youngest tells them, “I just wanted to ask you guys something then you can go to your ice cream date.” The two tilt their heads to the side and to others it would probably look adorable but it’s just comical to Sehun. The couple urges him by nodding, to inquire whatever it is that’s in his mind. So he stands up straight and grips the strap of his satchel before allowing the words to flow out of his mouth, “You two are just pretending, aren’t you?”
The way the two are so in sync with their movements makes Sehun question his own suspicions, that maybe the two Chinese really are in a relationship and aren’t just acting in front of the others. But he stands with his previous assumption and adds, “You can be honest with me, you know I’ll never tell anyone.”
Instead of spilling the beans as he expected them too, however, Yifan’s hand tightens even further when Yixing releases it slightly - something he thought was a sign of giving up. The taller one wraps his fingers tighter around the other’s as Yixing looks up to him with a wary expression.
“You can think whatever you want, Sehun,” the elder of the two finally answers, calm as he levels his eyes with the youngest. When the Korean tells them that he presumed they weren’t for real because their relationship happened too fast, Yifan shakes his head with a small laugh before he answers again, “What can I say?” Then the taller male looks at Yixing the same way he always does when the dancer isn’t looking his way, loving and longing. “We can’t wait any longer.” When the elder leans down to kiss Yixing, the design major interrupts them, not wanting to be an audience to their public display of affection.
“I don’t know,” Sehun says and Yifan looks at him again, the dancer’s eyes still on the elder, “If you guys really are together then fine but I’m still suspicious. Like I said, you don’t need to lie to me so you can be honest with me when you’re around me.”
“We’re already being honest though?” The taller Chinese smiles with an incredulous expression before a chuckle leaves his mouth. “If that’s all Sehun and you’re not coming with us then we’re going ahead, okay?” Then Yifan looks down to meet Yixing’s gaze again, “Baobei can we have that ice cream now?” The dancer gulps then looks towards Sehun who still has the same expression of disbelief when he asked them earlier. Trusting that Yifan knows how to handle things better, he finally nods and allows the elder to take him away from the awkward tension that has slowly risen due to their conversation. They wave their goodbyes and see you laters to the younger before disappearing, leaving Sehun a bit more confused than he was before.
❤️
“Aaaaah!” Yifan opens his mouth wide, remnants of the salted caramel ice cream he’s just scooped into his mouth seconds ago still obvious on the corners as he points the spoon to Yixing who reluctantly opens his mouth, the taste of the cold treat bursting on his tongue the moment he closes his lips. He looks around to find the parlor empty save for a couple on the front of the shop, very far from where they are at the back of the ice cream shop and far too engrossed at each other to even get themselves curious about the two males where the taller one enthusiastically feeds the other.
When the elder tries to feed him another scoop of the ice cream, he shakes his head and this produces a pout from the actor. “There’s no one here, Yifan,” Yixing says as if the taller male can’t see it himself, “no need for us to act like a couple here.”
The younger thought he’d get a reluctant whine from his roommate but he receives an expression that has a look of realization on it before Yifan says, “You’re right,” lowering his hand to feed himself the cold treat instead.
For a second, the dancer feels bad for his actions but then again he should also remind them both - himself - that they are doing this just to keep the unsightly suitors at bay because frankly he doesn’t want to deal with any of that, especially not when he’s supposed to be thinking of his end of the month evaluations and not some kid who follows him around.
There’s silence between them for a minute where Yixing wills for the ice cream to melt more quickly or for Yifan to finish it already so they can leave the shop. He repeatedly tells himself that it’s not so that he can have the elder’s hand on his own again or on his waist but just so he can escape the quiet that has settled between them.
Yifan must think I don’t appreciate his actions anymore, the dancer ponders on it but a thought tramples that and then he’s alert again.
“Sehun thinks suspiciously of us.” Yixing blurts out, making the elder lift his head up from where he’s scooping the melted treat to empty the bowl it is in.
Yifan shrugs and the smaller one is hoping he will give him more than just an uninterested gesture. And the taller male does, accepting the napkin the dancer pushes towards him with a smile before saying, “I’m sure everyone thought the same the first time we paraded our relationship in campus.” When he sees that Yixing is not amused with his reply, the elder adds, “I guess we just have to up our game, right?” Yifan’s smile is dazzling as he teasingly looks at the other and the younger curses the fact that he’s one charming bloke and a very good actor too. He shakes his head and hopes that the taller one will take it as a response and not him shaking such thoughts away.
“Don’t you think we should tell our friends that,” Yixing’s voice goes soft and just above a whisper as his sentence progresses, looking towards the couple by the window before leaning on the table so the taller one can still hear him despite the low volume of his voice, “we’re not really in a relationship?” Yifan doesn’t reply quickly so the younger one says, “I mean, they should know the truth, they’re our friends, anyway.” Then he leans back to his seat and looks down to avoid the other’s gaze. The elder surprisingly takes his hand, stopping him from sinking into the booth and making him lift his head again to meet eyes with the elder.
“Yixing, if we do that,” Yifan doesn’t sound confident and for a moment the younger wonders if some alien has replaced his roommate that instant because it isn’t like his friend at all but the calloused hand around his tells him that this is real and when the taller one speaks again he sounds more like himself, composed and confident.
“If we do that then there’s a possibility that they’ll slip about us not really dating, not that I don’t trust them or anything,” the elder explains himself before continuing, “but you know, what if someone overhears them talking about us or if they get too drunk at some party, too drunk that they accidentally out us without meaning to and it spreads across the campus? That suitor of yours will come back in an instant.”
As much as Yixing would like to refute those possibilities, he also can’t deny that Yifan has a point and with Lu Han in their circle of friends, it’s not that impossible for their cover to be blown in a snap of a finger. He’s a hundred percent sure that the older Chinese will scream about it the moment he hears it and then there’s no more campus couple Yifan and Yixing, just like that. The younger uses his free hand to wipe his face, wondering why things are so complicated and why he had done this to himself. A squeeze to his other hand reminds him that his roommate is still seated across him and when he looks up to see a reassuring smile on the other’s face he also remembers that he’s not alone in this, it’s just that things come out naturally for Yifan unlike him who becomes awkward the moment the elder lays a hand on him. But because of the taller one’s skills people still seem to buy their act, not questioning how it is possible for the two men to be together, just accepting the fact that roommates really can fall in love with each other no matter the gender.
“In my opinion,” Yifan says, hand still squeezing Yixing’s while he places his head on the other, “we should just act like a real couple so that no one will have even just a drop of doubt about our relationship.” The elder makes it sound so easy, to just pretend like they’re really lovers, that they have been in love with each other for so long. Yixing can do that. He can just allow himself to openly express his feelings for the other with the excuse that they’re just pretending so that people will believe them more.
There’s a catch, however. What if he really lets go of all the feelings he’s been bottling up so as not to create an awkward tension between him and his roommate? What will happen if he allows himself to fall in love with the persona that Yifan shows him in order to act as his boyfriend? What will become of him when he gives it his all and makes everyone believe of their fake relationship when he knows in the end that to Yifan this is all just acting and that there will be nothing for them after a few weeks or months of pretending? Yixing wants to shake his head and tell Yifan no, that he can’t do it.
However, when the elder squeezes his hand to get his attention again, he nods in response to the actor’s question, “Let’s give it a try?”
❤️
They do give it a try or, to put it more correctly, Yixing lowers down his defenses and just allows himself to become natural around Yifan, responding the way he would if they really were in a relationship and trying not to think too much about faking his emotions. The campus couple easily fall into a routine thereafter, the taller one always walking the younger to his morning classes before jogging off to the cafeteria to grab breakfast for himself. Sometimes he drops by Yixing’s classroom again to give the other food before he himself walks to his own class. More often than not Yifan leaves a smooch to the dancer’s cheek especially when he leaves the younger to his dance rehearsals where the girls in the class are always watching them whenever the actor is around. At first Yixing is averse to it but he gradually gets used to it, feeling a hole in his heart when the elder leaves him without a goodbye kiss.
After almost two months of dating, Yixing notices that they’ve brought their acting into the confines of their room as well. And he’s not really complaining, especially not when Yifan, who has just returned from his night class, carries him to his bed when he falls asleep on his desk hunched over his book or with his laptop still playing a performance he needs to watch for his class. Inadvertently, Yixing himself does things that he normally would do when they are out in public, like leaning against Yifan when they are seated beside each other or burying his face on the elder’s neck when he feels sleepy. The taller male doesn’t seem to be bothered by any of it, scooting his chair closer to the other’s so that it’s not that hard for Yixing to lean in. The actor sometimes drapes his arm over the younger’s shoulder as well or caresses his back when he whines about reading for his classes. They both know that no one can see them but neither of them release the other, if anything they only lean in and pull the other closer.
❤️
“Did you bring the movie?” Yifan asks when Yixing comes in, hair still wet from his shower and his gym bag still on his shoulder. The younger rolls his eyes and shakes his head before reaching into his bag to pull out a rectangular plastic case. He throws it to the bed near where the elder is seated before placing his bag beside the cabinet. He then unzips his hoodie and throws the maroon coloured clothing over the back of his chair. The dancer does everything while feeling the taller one glancing towards him but he doesn’t mind it, smiling to himself when he catches the other looking at him. Yifan just smiles at him, not even bothering to give him an explanation just moving until his back meets the wall. He pats the space to his right after he pops the DVD into his laptop that he has placed on a pillow above his lap. Yixing climbs on his roommate’s bed and takes the space offered to him, not bothered by the lack of distance between them, even moving closer with the excuse that he can have a better view of the screen because Yifan is hogging all of it when he is the one who brought the DVD for their movie night.
Halfway through the movie the taller moves his arm to place it behind Yixing, the younger stiffens but quickly relaxes and allows the hand that lands on his waist to stay, even reclining to be able to place the back of his head onto his roommate’s shoulder. Yifan adjusts a little after a while but freezes when he sees the dancer’s closed eyes and slightly parted lips, then he hears the light snores coming from Yixing’s mouth. The elder smiles as he watches the other’s relaxed expression, he waves a hand in front of the younger to see if he really is asleep and when he doesn’t get any reaction he allows himself to stare a little bit longer. He bites his bottom lip when an idea crosses his mind. Yifan bows his head carefully so as not to wake Yixing, checking if the other is still asleep before letting his lips touch the smaller one’s head. They’ve kissed before, on the lips even, but not in the confines of their room and especially not when it is stolen. The actor feels his lips tingling when he pulls away and he slightly feels guilty for what he’s done but the sigh of contentment that leaves Yixing’s parted lips reassures him that it’s okay.
Yifan doesn’t get to focus on the movie anymore, not with the younger sleeping beside him and mumbling words to his exposed skin. He eventually stops the movie and closes his laptop before pulling the blankets, more for Yixing because he’s only wearing his usual tank top. They fall asleep like that, not bothering to wake the younger or bring him to his own bed, wanting them to stay like so for as long as possible despite their position; the dancer’s head on his shoulder and soon his own leans against it as well when sleep takes him. He knows he will have a sore back and aching muscles in areas he doesn’t even know exist the next day but he doesn’t regret not changing their sleeping position when he sees the arm that’s draped over his stomach and feels the warm breath that’s on his neck when he wakes up.
❤️
Yifan reverses two steps when he passes by a jewelry shop, seeing a pair of rings displayed on the window. He knows the store as somewhere most college students in their area buy the cheap but fancy-looking jewelries they accessorize themselves with or give to their boyfriend or girlfriend. The elder looks around to see if there is anyone who might recognize him then he enters the shop when he sees there’s none. The tall male pretends to look around, checking if there is anything that might look simpler than the one by the glass window. He knows Yixing will appreciate it more if he had been given something that doesn’t shout extravagant, also that way the elder will not make the other feel burdened by the gift. A saleslady comes up to him while he’s looking at the jewelries on display, her voice welcoming as she starts her pitch to lure the student into buying something from their shop.
“Looking for something for you girlfriend?” The question makes Yifan snigger and he almost corrects her but catches himself when he remembers that Yixing isn’t exactly his boyfriend either. For a second he thinks of running out of the store, realizing how stupid the idea is of him buying an accessory for a person he isn’t even in a real relationship with. Before he acts out this idea though, he spots a pair of simple silver-coloured bracelets and all he can think of then is his roommate, the dimple digging on his cheek and the sweat that makes his body glisten when he’s dancing. He shakes his head at the last thought, making the saleslady look at him funnily. Hoping to resurrect himself, Yifan just points to the pair of bracelets and asks her about it, happy to find that they are not expensive and he’ll be able to buy them before leaving the store. He places the small paper bag into his backpack and thanks the saleslady.
Everything is going smoothly, his mood is through the roof until he is just a few paces away from their dorm. The actor realizes then that he just bought a couple bracelet for him and Yixing. A couple bracelet. He can still remember how the saleslady squealed when he said he’ll be giving it right away, the girl even wished him luck and told him his other half will definitely like it and appreciate the gift. Oh how he hopes she is right.
His heart is thumping loudly against his chest when he slides his key into the doorknob, breathing a sigh of relief when he doesn’t see Yixing’s usual pair of shoes by the entrance of their room. He leaves his backpack on his bed before deciding to shower, hoping he will have good ideas on how to give the accessory to the younger and what to say when he finally gives it.
Ideas run through his head as the water pummels his head and body, some good, some he already knows will be disastrous. He turns the spigot to decrease the water volume until it is only enough to massage his back. As he soaps his torso he thinks of the pros and cons of the top two good ideas he has. Option one is he will give it to the younger in the middle of lunch, with their friends around and the other students to see them, that way Yixing will not be able to reject the gift. However, he knows they will have a lengthy discussion once they are already inside their room where there’s just the two of them. Even though they have done couply things outside, even kissing, he knows what having something that binds them and shows their ownership over the other brings to the kind of relationship they have and he’s not sure how Yixing will take that. He can already see the younger getting annoyed with his actions and saying, “It’s not necessary.” And he can also feel his heart constricting at the thought of hearing those words from the other even with the knowledge that the dancer is right.
When he rinses the shampoo off his hair and the soap off his body, he thinks option two will help him avoid any arguments with Yixing. So when he leaves the shower stall, he finalizes his decision, running a hand over his face when he realizes that he forgot to bring clothes with him. Thankfully the smaller male is still out when he returns but he still dresses hurriedly to be able to prepare himself for when he needs to give the bracelet to Yixing. He doesn’t think much of what to say, knowing he will forget the words anyway because of his nervousness so he just tries to calm himself down while he waits for Yixing to arrive. His brain short-circuits when his ears pick up the sound of the doorknob turning and the door being pushed open. Yifan stills where he’s seated on the edge of his bed, facing the younger’s own. He smiles nervously when he sees the dancer walk in, feeling the corner of his lips quivering when he lifts them. It is responded with a smile as well and he’s relieved when he sees the indentation on the younger’s cheek.
“You okay?” Yixing asks when he reaches where the elder is sitting, eyes never leaving his figure right when he enters their room. The taller male just nods and reaches for the younger’s left hand, humming when he doesn’t feel the other retracting his hand to himself. His eyes close when the smaller one’s other hand cups his cheek, leaning into the dancer’s touch while it is still there. When he doesn’t feel it leaving any time soon, he opens his eyes and chooses that as the right time to give the jewelry.
“I have something for you,” Yifan says, one hand squeezing the younger’s before the other reaches for his backpack to retrieve the small paper bag. Yixing tilts his head to the side as the elder places the maroon bag on his lap. The taller male can see the dancer’s eyes widen when he sees the name of the jewelry shop on the bag. The actor finally releases the other’s hand to be able to open it easily. When he removes the small rectangular black box inside, he hears the gasp Yixing lets out and hopes the younger doesn’t push him away for what he does next. Without saying anything, he takes the other’s hand again and wraps the chain around the smaller one’s wrist before securing the clasp to lock the accessory only loose enough not to fall from the younger’s hand. Yifan then takes the other bracelet before wearing it himself. Once the silver is secured around their wrists, he takes his roommate’s hand again, the circular accessories clinking with each other then he breathes out, “Couple bracelet.”
Yixing bites his lower lip, eyes trained on the silver around his wrist, clearly unable to find the right words to say. He finally settles for, “You didn’t have to,” after a few seconds and the elder can’t help but exhale the breath he didn’t even think he was holding. Next thing he knows his lips are moving and he can’t deny the truth that comes out of it, “I just thought of you when I saw it.”
When the silence sits between them and all he’s doing now is watch Yixing look at the accessory with amazement, he half thanks himself that he went with this option, almost unbelieving that the other is not swearing and getting mad at his sudden action. With more confidence in himself, Yifan playfully tells the other, “Make sure to wear it everyday.” The younger giggles and nods before finally saying, “Thank you.”
That night they sleep with the couple bracelet secured around their wrists, the jewelry glinting with the light of the moon.
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Yifan/Yixing
Genre: College AU, Fake Dating AU, Romance, Fluff, Smut
Summary: Yixing has had enough and roping Yifan into his problem is the only option he is left with. His roommate seems to be up for the challenge though and everything is going smoothly. But what is he going to do if the feelings he’s been bottling up slip into their act. Will he put a leash on them or allow them to run free?
Word Count: 21k
Warnings: Handjobs
Notes: Originally written for Exo University fest :) Meant to answer the lack of fake dating au fics for fanxing so I hope everyone enjoys it though I am pretty sure you’ll get frustrated while reading this /).(\ Thank you Katja for reading through this mess and for always leaving fun comments for me to read :)
Sorry in advance because the spacing is all fucked up right now. I don't really know what happened. I'll fix it when I have time ;~;
Yixing almost pops a nerve.
“Hi Yixing Ge!” A bright smile welcomes the dance major when he opens the door of his dorm room to leave for his 9am class. Instead of returning the gesture, however, Yixing steps back and grumbles, not wanting to entertain the other even if he knows that the boy probably waited just to pick him up and walk him to his class.
The dancer doesn’t even remember meeting the other who presented himself as a junior from his high school but ever since the new semester started the boy has been following him around, fetching him from his classes and trying to squeeze himself beside the dance major whenever he is having his meal at the cafeteria alone. The freshman has even gone as far as giving Yixing a sketch he has done of the dancer since he is an art major. If the elder’s roommate had not commented about it being a good drawing he would have crumpled the paper and threw it in the rubbish already.
When Yixing hears footsteps coming from behind him, a light bulb appears above his head. He knows his roommate might kill him for this later but he needs to get rid of this kid and he can’t find a better way than this. So he waits for the heavy steps to reach him before turning to his side where the taller male is slipping his feet into his shoes. Without prompt, Yixing tiptoes and grabs the collar of his friend’s shirt to pull him down and seal their lips in a kiss, uncaring of the consequences of his actions later on. A hand surprisingly lands on his lower back, pulling him close and pressing him against a hard chest as the smacking of their lips resound in the small space they are sharing. The simple peck turns into something more passionate as his roommate reciprocates, pushing his lips against Yixing’s harder and even swiping his tongue on the younger’s bottom lip. The younger unconsciously moans when he feels the tongue slip past his lips and touch his own. The wet appendage twists with his and memorizes every inch of his mouth, moving expertly as if they are lovers that have been apart for a while.
Yixing pulls away with a gasp, the taller male leaning down afterwards to give his lips a peck before breathing heavily against his plump pair. After parting with the other, Yixing’s face flushed and lips slightly swollen, the dance major slowly regains his consciousness and looks towards the freshman to ask teasingly, “Have you met my boyfriend Yifan?”
The hand on his back moves to his waist as he turns to face his suitor fully, his roommate’s voice is deep when he greets the freshman who stands stunned at their sudden display, “Hello.”
They watch the boy’s eyes widen and look at the areas where their bodies are touching for a few seconds before Yixing decides to interrupt him, “Sorry but we have to go.”
“Yeah,” Yifan leans down to give the younger a peck on the cheek, smiling when the dance major looks at him with surprised eyes, “I still have to drop my baby to his class.”
The acting major lightly shoves the art freshman so he and Yixing can leave their room and close the door before he intertwines his fingers with the younger and pulls him by the hand, chuckling to himself when he looks over his shoulder to find the boy still standing in front of their room.
❤️
The dance major nervously looks behind him, hand still clasped with Yifan’s, not noticing the stares that they are receiving from the people they have pass by. When he’s one hundred percent sure that the freshman is already out of sight, he lets go of his roommate’s hand. A tingling feeling lingers where they were connected even moments after he has pulled away. The taller male looks confused at his actions, only understanding once Yixing has explained that his stalker-slash-suitor is already gone.
“I’m so sorry about that Yifan,” Yixing apologizes, hand gripping the strap of his duffel bag when he reluctantly looks up, prepared for a barrage of scolding from the elder. What he didn’t expect was for the taller one to be smiling at him. When the acting major takes his free hand with a smile on his face, the dancer shakes his head to check that he isn’t hallucinating.
“Yixing, it’s fine, totally fine,” the elder says, beaming at the dance major, “it’s great, even.” His hand tightens around the younger’s smaller one when he continues, “Actually, I should be thanking you. This will be a good way to practice my acting, don’t you think?”
The younger doesn’t know how to respond, shocked by the other’s reaction more than anything. So when Yifan repeats his question, he just nods dumbly.
“Better yet, we should let the whole campus think we’re together,” the acting major adds, humming as if to agree with his own genius idea. The smaller male doesn’t even get a say on it before he’s being pulled once again, the elder deciding to continue their pretend PDA by walking him to his class, his hand still trapped within the taller one’s own.
When Yifan leans down to give him a kiss on the cheek again as a form of saying goodbye, Yixing wonders how far he has to pretend and if his professor saw the taller male’s antics because with the way his classmates are looking at him and whispering to each other, he’s sure that they saw every little thing, even how his roommate whispered to his ear which he thinks is unnecessary. The blush on his cheeks that won’t go away no matter how hard he fans himself, prompts his classmates to tease him further about his newfound relationship with Yifan, his playful seatmates shooting hearts and pretending to mimic him and his roommate’s actions earlier. Yixing throws a few pieces of crumpled paper at Lu Han and Kai when the two don’t stop with their acts. Giving up that the others aren’t going to stop that easily, he just looks away and focuses on his professor’s lesson. However, his mind keeps flying back to the kiss he shared with Yifan and how the elder easily fell into character and even suggested to keep the act. With a mumbled expletive he lays his forehead against his open book, unsure whether he should thank or curse himself for his stupid idea that morning.
❤️
Yifan instantly falls into character whenever they are outside their dorm or when Yixing’s suitor is nearby. The taller male either places his arm over the dancer’s shoulder or interlaces his fingers with the smaller one’s, so casually and so naturally that if one would look without knowing the two they would think without having second thoughts that they are a real couple, one that many would envy because of how perfect they look together. Even Yixing himself thinks that if he did some astral projection and looked down where he left his body sitting beside the elder, he would also comment on them being a very believable pair. The younger commends his roommate’s acting abilities, knowing that they’re only able to pull the show because of the other’s skills and how the taller one saves them with his smooth explanation whenever someone approaches them to ask about their sudden coming out as a couple.
Even though the younger knew of his roommate’s major, he has never seen the elder’s acting itself, never having the chance to see the other showcase his talent. The taller male always shies away when the dance major opens the topic about the film project they made or the stage play he’s going to participate in, opting to talk about Yixing instead, always enthusiastically asking the younger about what he will be performing for the end of semester evaluations. Even so, the dancer can’t really say that he’s surprised since Yifan has told him before that the girls he ‘dates’ are all for practice as well. For a second, the younger felt bad for the females who have flung themselves to the acting major before when he heard this from his roommate even when Yifan explained further that the women who came into a ‘relationship’ with him know this as they are all girls he has worked with. Yixing wonders if he will be the same as those girls, that after this experiment, the elder will pretend again that nothing happened; that they didn’t share a few months together, didn’t kiss and hold hands.
The younger pulls himself away from his thoughts, not wanting to drown in them when the whole table’s attention is on them - their relationship. Kai and Lu Han have brought their teasing from the classroom to their dinner, sending hearts to the new couple while making smooching noises as they urge the two to share a kiss; they even go as far as tapping their glasses with their spoons like they do in weddings. Yifan looks at the younger when this happens for a second time. For the first time that day, Yixing sees hesitance in the elder’s eyes and something else, something that he can’t quite describe and put a name on. He looks away when he sees the taller male lean a bit closer to him, hands balling a used napkin before throwing it at the duo on the other side of the table.
“Are you guys legit?” Zitao inquires as he slams his tray onto the table. Sehun who is following closely behind him, places his own tray more quietly on the table, never one to call attention for himself. “What is this rumor going around campus? And you,” his voice crescendoes when he points to Yixing, “you weren’t answering my calls and messages! People were asking me, you know!”
“God,” Yixing prolongs the word as he wipes a hand over his face, allowing the snigger he hears from Yifan to slide because he can’t be mad at the other at any point of their fake relationship since the elder is his saving grace at the moment. “Can’t people keep their noses out of other people’s business?”
“They can’t,” Minseok answers for him, the Literature major who has been quietly reading a book - Does he ever put that down? Does he read in the shower too? - comments while pushing his glasses up his nose.
“Not when the Acting Department’s Heartthrob,” Jongdae butts in, putting his composition notebook down to point at Yifan with his pen before using the same item to Yixing, “and the Dance Department’s Cutie,” the description has the dancer’s eyes popping, a protest at the tip of his tongue cut short by the music major’s stare, “are now in a relationship.”
Yixing sits stunned in his place, he never really thought of his position in the university or what others think of him so he didn’t realize that this whole pretending thing will blow up this much. He’s brought back to reality when Yifan pulls him close by the shoulder again, the elder sounding smug when he says, “Oh well, guess no CC can beat us then if we have such titles.”
The taller one smiles at him and the whole table almost simultaneously pukes at the acting major’s comment about their newfound relationship. The elder doesn’t budge even when the dancer nudges him on his side, his hold on Yixing’s shoulder only tightens. While he locks gazes with Yifan, fear creeps into the smaller male that if he doesn’t look away, his heart will be unable to function properly anymore.
❤️
When they return to their dorm to turn in for the night, they find Yixing’s suitor standing in front of their door, hand balled in a fist which he slowly lifted in a pose to knock.
“What did you say the kid’s name is again?” Yifan asks, his lips too close for comfort to the dancer’s ear.
“Jinfeng,” the younger responds, without being too obvious with how he moved his head away from his roommate’s mouth. The hum that Yifan lets out, however, still manages to reach his ear and he has to suppress the shudder that threatens to rack his body because of it.
“Kid’s persistent,” the elder comments before sliding his hand from Yixing’s shoulder to the dancer’s hand to intertwine their fingers. With a look towards the younger, he asks, “Ready?” The dance major isn’t quite sure how and what to answer but it seems there’s no need for him to worry because Yifan is already pulling him towards their dorm room.
“Hey, kid,” the taller of the two lifts his free hand in greeting but the freshman doesn’t seem to appreciate it, retorting to the senior that he’s not a kid anymore. “Well, you look like one,” Yifan’s chuckle seems to get to the suitor’s nerves, balling his fists to his sides before giving the elder his meanest look which doesn’t really do anything to the tall Chinese.
“I’m not here to talk to you.” Jinfeng turns to where the apple of his eye is, trying his best to ignore Yifan. “Yixing Ge,” the freshman has a pleading tone and the dancer feels a bit guilty for a second, “I know you’re not in a relationship with this guy.” The younger points to the acting major who just gives him with a nonplussed reaction. “I’m sure you’re just doing this to test my loyalty to you but I really like you and I won’t give up until you return my feelings.”
When the smallest of the three surges forward to probably take Yixing’s hands like he did when he first saw the dance major in the campus, professing his undying love for his senior in the middle of the hallway, Yifan blocks him. The tall figure turns around and places both hands on the dancer’s shoulders with a mix of a serious and a caring expression on his face.
“Baobei,” the pet name surprises Yixing a little bit, the sweet way it is said with the correct accent has his insides melting that his brain halts for a moment before kickstarting again, “mind opening the door?” He nods and retrieves his keys from his pocket before turning to the door, his ears pricking up to hear everything that Yifan tells his suitor.
“Look here, kid.” Jinfeng reluctantly looks at Yifan, his view of Yixing blocked by the elder’s broad figure. “I don’t care if you believe that Yixing and I are dating or not, nothing about our relationship is going to change.” Even with the key already inserted in the hole, the dancer still doesn’t turn it to open the door. He awaits the elder’s following words, knowing by instincts that he still has something to say. What the taller one says next has the younger’s fingers slipping from where they were holding the key, the serious and possessive tone in Yifan’s voice sending unwarranted ripples of want all over his body, “He’s mine. That too, will never change.”
Next thing Yixing knows, he’s being ushered gently into the dorm with his roommate’s hard and warm chest pressed to his back. He doesn’t hear anything from Jinfeng, no knock coming from the other side either. Yifan doesn’t say anything after, just excusing himself to take a shower with a small smile on his lips.
When the elder returns, his dyed blond hair is still wet from his shower and some areas of his shirt and sweats cling to his body because of his damp skin. Yixing wills himself to look away, reminding himself that the taller male being his boyfriend is just an act; he doesn’t have to look at Yifan like he desires him. But he can’t help it especially when the front of the actor’s shirt is showing the shape of the elder’s abs, the cloth following the lines that his roommate forgot to wipe down. He presses his lips together when the other clears his throat and says, “Something you want to say?” Yixing nods even though he doesn’t really have anything to say so to avoid the other’s teasing he tries to come up with something before the taller one can think that his earlier staring was anything but suspicious.
“I just wanted to thank you.”
Yifan finally sits on his own bed pushing himself towards the wall until his back hits the thin material of wood that separates their room from the one beside theirs.
“That’s nothing, Xing.” The way his nickname falls from the elder’s lips sounds so loving that he momentarily thinks that what they have is real but he’s jerked back to reality by the taller’s voice again. “Anything I can do to help you. Besides, the kid’s been pestering you and he can’t seem to understand that a no is a no. He’s stressing you out so much that I haven’t even been able to see your dimple lately.” The corners of Yixing’s lips instantly lifts up a little, enough to show a hint of the indentation on his right cheek, the curve of his lips is immediately mirrored by the elder whose smile turns into a grin as the younger’s does so as well.
“Really, though,” Yixing maneuvers them back to the topic, “I appreciate it but you don’t have to go so far as you did a while ago.”
“It’s alright,” the taller reassures his roommate again, “besides he already suspected that our relationship is fake so we have to do everything to make the act believable, even more so now, don’t you think?”
The younger can’t disagree with his friend’s statement, knowing that they have to do everything to make Jinfeng and the whole student body - though that’s just a plus - fall for their acting. When Yifan hears no protest from the younger, he finally lies down properly and rests his head on his pillow before turning to face the wall - his usual position. Yixing makes himself comfortable on his bed as well, having already showered after his practice and changed while Yifan was out for his shower.
Once Yixing turns off his night lamp, he hears the taller call out to him, “Good night, baobei.” It comes out so naturally from the elder’s lips that once again he feels his body melting into his bed but he reminds himself that it is all pretend so he grumbles for show as well.
“We’re inside our room, Yifan,” he throws to the other who still has his back to the younger, “no need for terms of endearment.”
Yixing sees the outline of the elder’s shoulder shrug before his roommate turns his head around slightly to answer him, “Just helping you get used to it.”
The younger doesn’t have a smart retort only gratitude to the darkness in their room for covering the blush on his cheeks. Instead of saying something sharp he just groans out, “Just go to sleep. Don’t want your skin to suffer.” He hears the other snort then everything is silent again.
Yixing isn’t sure, as his eyes follow the length of Yifan’s body, if this is the best solution for his problem but he can’t do anything about it but to go with the flow.
❤️
The rest of the week has Yifan clinging to Yixing with the younger acting along and pretending to be annoyed every now and then. But he always opens his mouth when the elder tries to feed him something, always tightens his grip around Yifan’s hand when the actor laces their fingers together, always lifts his head when the taller calls him baobei and his heart always flutters at every little thing the other does. And everybody in the campus seems to have fallen for their act, swooning every time they are seen walking hand in hand in the hallways of the university. Except for one person.
“They look really suspicious,” Sehun murmurs as he and Zitao walk away from their lunch table, leaving earlier than their friends who have classes later in the afternoon.
“Who?” The Chinese asks, half-interested in what the other is talking about as he looks through his final designs that they are supposed to submit that day.
“Yifan and Yixing,” the younger answers before glancing behind them to where the topic of their conversation are still stuck to each other’s side with the taller of the two whispering something to the other’s ear.
“What’s so suspicious about them?” The olive-skinned boy is still giving his designs a final critic as he converses with the other, a bit confused that Sehun is bringing the topic up. “We all know they’ve been secretly liking each other since forever,” the elder reminds the Korean while he places his sketches back into the envelope, “so what’s so surprising about them being together?”
“It happened so suddenly though, don’t you think so too?” The younger doesn’t let it go that easily. Not that he isn’t happy for his two older friends if they really are together now. It’s just that Sehun is perpetually curious and he can’t accept the fact that they just happened when the two always asked them not to make such a big fuss out of their little crush for the other.
“Whether it happened fast or not, should it matter? What does is that they’re together now,” Zitao responds, opening the door for Sehun before continuing, “and our days of watching them silently pine for the other is over.” The Korean walks into the classroom, dropping the topic for the moment but he will surely bring it up again. For now, however, he needs to focus on his lessons, the matter about Yifan and Yixing can wait anyway.
❤️
“Wait for me,” Sehun calls out to the new campus couple when he spots them coming out of the Performing Arts Building with Yifan and Yixing holding hands like normal couples do.
“Oh, hey Sehun!” Yixing lifts his free hand to wave at the younger. “Where’s Zitao?” The dancer asks, knowing how the two are practically attached at the hip since they met.
“He had something to get from his room,” the younger answers truthfully, not adding the information that he ran away from waiting for the Chinese to return to find them instead.
“Ah, want to walk with us to the cafeteria then?” Yixing offers with a smile on his face before the older of the two joins the conversation.
“Yixing owes me an ice cream though,” Yifan reminds the younger, tightening his grip on the other’s hand when he looks down to get the dancer’s attention, “so we have to stop by the ice cream shop first.” He grins when he sees the smaller one’s eyes widen after the elder’s reminder, recognition in his brown orbs at the promise he told the other the night before.
“Aiyo, right!” Yixing bites the inside of his cheek afterwards, then he looks up at the elder again to ask, “Can’t we just have the ice cream for dessert?” The taller male pouts, Wu Yifan pouts, and furrows his eyebrows a little before a protest leaves his lips.
“But Yixing!” His pouting lips jut out even further, eyes growing big to plead at the other.
Sehun clears his throat then, reminding the two that they are not alone. He was slightly derailed from his plans when he saw Yifan pout, thinking it was a ridiculous sight and how the actor has started making faces he usually wouldn’t wear ever since he and Yixing came into a relationship - one that the Korean still doesn’t believe. The two whip their heads to where he is and he smiles crookedly.
“It’s okay,” the youngest tells them, “I just wanted to ask you guys something then you can go to your ice cream date.” The two tilt their heads to the side and to others it would probably look adorable but it’s just comical to Sehun. The couple urges him by nodding, to inquire whatever it is that’s in his mind. So he stands up straight and grips the strap of his satchel before allowing the words to flow out of his mouth, “You two are just pretending, aren’t you?”
The way the two are so in sync with their movements makes Sehun question his own suspicions, that maybe the two Chinese really are in a relationship and aren’t just acting in front of the others. But he stands with his previous assumption and adds, “You can be honest with me, you know I’ll never tell anyone.”
Instead of spilling the beans as he expected them too, however, Yifan’s hand tightens even further when Yixing releases it slightly - something he thought was a sign of giving up. The taller one wraps his fingers tighter around the other’s as Yixing looks up to him with a wary expression.
“You can think whatever you want, Sehun,” the elder of the two finally answers, calm as he levels his eyes with the youngest. When the Korean tells them that he presumed they weren’t for real because their relationship happened too fast, Yifan shakes his head with a small laugh before he answers again, “What can I say?” Then the taller male looks at Yixing the same way he always does when the dancer isn’t looking his way, loving and longing. “We can’t wait any longer.” When the elder leans down to kiss Yixing, the design major interrupts them, not wanting to be an audience to their public display of affection.
“I don’t know,” Sehun says and Yifan looks at him again, the dancer’s eyes still on the elder, “If you guys really are together then fine but I’m still suspicious. Like I said, you don’t need to lie to me so you can be honest with me when you’re around me.”
“We’re already being honest though?” The taller Chinese smiles with an incredulous expression before a chuckle leaves his mouth. “If that’s all Sehun and you’re not coming with us then we’re going ahead, okay?” Then Yifan looks down to meet Yixing’s gaze again, “Baobei can we have that ice cream now?” The dancer gulps then looks towards Sehun who still has the same expression of disbelief when he asked them earlier. Trusting that Yifan knows how to handle things better, he finally nods and allows the elder to take him away from the awkward tension that has slowly risen due to their conversation. They wave their goodbyes and see you laters to the younger before disappearing, leaving Sehun a bit more confused than he was before.
❤️
“Aaaaah!” Yifan opens his mouth wide, remnants of the salted caramel ice cream he’s just scooped into his mouth seconds ago still obvious on the corners as he points the spoon to Yixing who reluctantly opens his mouth, the taste of the cold treat bursting on his tongue the moment he closes his lips. He looks around to find the parlor empty save for a couple on the front of the shop, very far from where they are at the back of the ice cream shop and far too engrossed at each other to even get themselves curious about the two males where the taller one enthusiastically feeds the other.
When the elder tries to feed him another scoop of the ice cream, he shakes his head and this produces a pout from the actor. “There’s no one here, Yifan,” Yixing says as if the taller male can’t see it himself, “no need for us to act like a couple here.”
The younger thought he’d get a reluctant whine from his roommate but he receives an expression that has a look of realization on it before Yifan says, “You’re right,” lowering his hand to feed himself the cold treat instead.
For a second, the dancer feels bad for his actions but then again he should also remind them both - himself - that they are doing this just to keep the unsightly suitors at bay because frankly he doesn’t want to deal with any of that, especially not when he’s supposed to be thinking of his end of the month evaluations and not some kid who follows him around.
There’s silence between them for a minute where Yixing wills for the ice cream to melt more quickly or for Yifan to finish it already so they can leave the shop. He repeatedly tells himself that it’s not so that he can have the elder’s hand on his own again or on his waist but just so he can escape the quiet that has settled between them.
Yifan must think I don’t appreciate his actions anymore, the dancer ponders on it but a thought tramples that and then he’s alert again.
“Sehun thinks suspiciously of us.” Yixing blurts out, making the elder lift his head up from where he’s scooping the melted treat to empty the bowl it is in.
Yifan shrugs and the smaller one is hoping he will give him more than just an uninterested gesture. And the taller male does, accepting the napkin the dancer pushes towards him with a smile before saying, “I’m sure everyone thought the same the first time we paraded our relationship in campus.” When he sees that Yixing is not amused with his reply, the elder adds, “I guess we just have to up our game, right?” Yifan’s smile is dazzling as he teasingly looks at the other and the younger curses the fact that he’s one charming bloke and a very good actor too. He shakes his head and hopes that the taller one will take it as a response and not him shaking such thoughts away.
“Don’t you think we should tell our friends that,” Yixing’s voice goes soft and just above a whisper as his sentence progresses, looking towards the couple by the window before leaning on the table so the taller one can still hear him despite the low volume of his voice, “we’re not really in a relationship?” Yifan doesn’t reply quickly so the younger one says, “I mean, they should know the truth, they’re our friends, anyway.” Then he leans back to his seat and looks down to avoid the other’s gaze. The elder surprisingly takes his hand, stopping him from sinking into the booth and making him lift his head again to meet eyes with the elder.
“Yixing, if we do that,” Yifan doesn’t sound confident and for a moment the younger wonders if some alien has replaced his roommate that instant because it isn’t like his friend at all but the calloused hand around his tells him that this is real and when the taller one speaks again he sounds more like himself, composed and confident.
“If we do that then there’s a possibility that they’ll slip about us not really dating, not that I don’t trust them or anything,” the elder explains himself before continuing, “but you know, what if someone overhears them talking about us or if they get too drunk at some party, too drunk that they accidentally out us without meaning to and it spreads across the campus? That suitor of yours will come back in an instant.”
As much as Yixing would like to refute those possibilities, he also can’t deny that Yifan has a point and with Lu Han in their circle of friends, it’s not that impossible for their cover to be blown in a snap of a finger. He’s a hundred percent sure that the older Chinese will scream about it the moment he hears it and then there’s no more campus couple Yifan and Yixing, just like that. The younger uses his free hand to wipe his face, wondering why things are so complicated and why he had done this to himself. A squeeze to his other hand reminds him that his roommate is still seated across him and when he looks up to see a reassuring smile on the other’s face he also remembers that he’s not alone in this, it’s just that things come out naturally for Yifan unlike him who becomes awkward the moment the elder lays a hand on him. But because of the taller one’s skills people still seem to buy their act, not questioning how it is possible for the two men to be together, just accepting the fact that roommates really can fall in love with each other no matter the gender.
“In my opinion,” Yifan says, hand still squeezing Yixing’s while he places his head on the other, “we should just act like a real couple so that no one will have even just a drop of doubt about our relationship.” The elder makes it sound so easy, to just pretend like they’re really lovers, that they have been in love with each other for so long. Yixing can do that. He can just allow himself to openly express his feelings for the other with the excuse that they’re just pretending so that people will believe them more.
There’s a catch, however. What if he really lets go of all the feelings he’s been bottling up so as not to create an awkward tension between him and his roommate? What will happen if he allows himself to fall in love with the persona that Yifan shows him in order to act as his boyfriend? What will become of him when he gives it his all and makes everyone believe of their fake relationship when he knows in the end that to Yifan this is all just acting and that there will be nothing for them after a few weeks or months of pretending? Yixing wants to shake his head and tell Yifan no, that he can’t do it.
However, when the elder squeezes his hand to get his attention again, he nods in response to the actor’s question, “Let’s give it a try?”
❤️
They do give it a try or, to put it more correctly, Yixing lowers down his defenses and just allows himself to become natural around Yifan, responding the way he would if they really were in a relationship and trying not to think too much about faking his emotions. The campus couple easily fall into a routine thereafter, the taller one always walking the younger to his morning classes before jogging off to the cafeteria to grab breakfast for himself. Sometimes he drops by Yixing’s classroom again to give the other food before he himself walks to his own class. More often than not Yifan leaves a smooch to the dancer’s cheek especially when he leaves the younger to his dance rehearsals where the girls in the class are always watching them whenever the actor is around. At first Yixing is averse to it but he gradually gets used to it, feeling a hole in his heart when the elder leaves him without a goodbye kiss.
After almost two months of dating, Yixing notices that they’ve brought their acting into the confines of their room as well. And he’s not really complaining, especially not when Yifan, who has just returned from his night class, carries him to his bed when he falls asleep on his desk hunched over his book or with his laptop still playing a performance he needs to watch for his class. Inadvertently, Yixing himself does things that he normally would do when they are out in public, like leaning against Yifan when they are seated beside each other or burying his face on the elder’s neck when he feels sleepy. The taller male doesn’t seem to be bothered by any of it, scooting his chair closer to the other’s so that it’s not that hard for Yixing to lean in. The actor sometimes drapes his arm over the younger’s shoulder as well or caresses his back when he whines about reading for his classes. They both know that no one can see them but neither of them release the other, if anything they only lean in and pull the other closer.
❤️
“Did you bring the movie?” Yifan asks when Yixing comes in, hair still wet from his shower and his gym bag still on his shoulder. The younger rolls his eyes and shakes his head before reaching into his bag to pull out a rectangular plastic case. He throws it to the bed near where the elder is seated before placing his bag beside the cabinet. He then unzips his hoodie and throws the maroon coloured clothing over the back of his chair. The dancer does everything while feeling the taller one glancing towards him but he doesn’t mind it, smiling to himself when he catches the other looking at him. Yifan just smiles at him, not even bothering to give him an explanation just moving until his back meets the wall. He pats the space to his right after he pops the DVD into his laptop that he has placed on a pillow above his lap. Yixing climbs on his roommate’s bed and takes the space offered to him, not bothered by the lack of distance between them, even moving closer with the excuse that he can have a better view of the screen because Yifan is hogging all of it when he is the one who brought the DVD for their movie night.
Halfway through the movie the taller moves his arm to place it behind Yixing, the younger stiffens but quickly relaxes and allows the hand that lands on his waist to stay, even reclining to be able to place the back of his head onto his roommate’s shoulder. Yifan adjusts a little after a while but freezes when he sees the dancer’s closed eyes and slightly parted lips, then he hears the light snores coming from Yixing’s mouth. The elder smiles as he watches the other’s relaxed expression, he waves a hand in front of the younger to see if he really is asleep and when he doesn’t get any reaction he allows himself to stare a little bit longer. He bites his bottom lip when an idea crosses his mind. Yifan bows his head carefully so as not to wake Yixing, checking if the other is still asleep before letting his lips touch the smaller one’s head. They’ve kissed before, on the lips even, but not in the confines of their room and especially not when it is stolen. The actor feels his lips tingling when he pulls away and he slightly feels guilty for what he’s done but the sigh of contentment that leaves Yixing’s parted lips reassures him that it’s okay.
Yifan doesn’t get to focus on the movie anymore, not with the younger sleeping beside him and mumbling words to his exposed skin. He eventually stops the movie and closes his laptop before pulling the blankets, more for Yixing because he’s only wearing his usual tank top. They fall asleep like that, not bothering to wake the younger or bring him to his own bed, wanting them to stay like so for as long as possible despite their position; the dancer’s head on his shoulder and soon his own leans against it as well when sleep takes him. He knows he will have a sore back and aching muscles in areas he doesn’t even know exist the next day but he doesn’t regret not changing their sleeping position when he sees the arm that’s draped over his stomach and feels the warm breath that’s on his neck when he wakes up.
❤️
Yifan reverses two steps when he passes by a jewelry shop, seeing a pair of rings displayed on the window. He knows the store as somewhere most college students in their area buy the cheap but fancy-looking jewelries they accessorize themselves with or give to their boyfriend or girlfriend. The elder looks around to see if there is anyone who might recognize him then he enters the shop when he sees there’s none. The tall male pretends to look around, checking if there is anything that might look simpler than the one by the glass window. He knows Yixing will appreciate it more if he had been given something that doesn’t shout extravagant, also that way the elder will not make the other feel burdened by the gift. A saleslady comes up to him while he’s looking at the jewelries on display, her voice welcoming as she starts her pitch to lure the student into buying something from their shop.
“Looking for something for you girlfriend?” The question makes Yifan snigger and he almost corrects her but catches himself when he remembers that Yixing isn’t exactly his boyfriend either. For a second he thinks of running out of the store, realizing how stupid the idea is of him buying an accessory for a person he isn’t even in a real relationship with. Before he acts out this idea though, he spots a pair of simple silver-coloured bracelets and all he can think of then is his roommate, the dimple digging on his cheek and the sweat that makes his body glisten when he’s dancing. He shakes his head at the last thought, making the saleslady look at him funnily. Hoping to resurrect himself, Yifan just points to the pair of bracelets and asks her about it, happy to find that they are not expensive and he’ll be able to buy them before leaving the store. He places the small paper bag into his backpack and thanks the saleslady.
Everything is going smoothly, his mood is through the roof until he is just a few paces away from their dorm. The actor realizes then that he just bought a couple bracelet for him and Yixing. A couple bracelet. He can still remember how the saleslady squealed when he said he’ll be giving it right away, the girl even wished him luck and told him his other half will definitely like it and appreciate the gift. Oh how he hopes she is right.
His heart is thumping loudly against his chest when he slides his key into the doorknob, breathing a sigh of relief when he doesn’t see Yixing’s usual pair of shoes by the entrance of their room. He leaves his backpack on his bed before deciding to shower, hoping he will have good ideas on how to give the accessory to the younger and what to say when he finally gives it.
Ideas run through his head as the water pummels his head and body, some good, some he already knows will be disastrous. He turns the spigot to decrease the water volume until it is only enough to massage his back. As he soaps his torso he thinks of the pros and cons of the top two good ideas he has. Option one is he will give it to the younger in the middle of lunch, with their friends around and the other students to see them, that way Yixing will not be able to reject the gift. However, he knows they will have a lengthy discussion once they are already inside their room where there’s just the two of them. Even though they have done couply things outside, even kissing, he knows what having something that binds them and shows their ownership over the other brings to the kind of relationship they have and he’s not sure how Yixing will take that. He can already see the younger getting annoyed with his actions and saying, “It’s not necessary.” And he can also feel his heart constricting at the thought of hearing those words from the other even with the knowledge that the dancer is right.
When he rinses the shampoo off his hair and the soap off his body, he thinks option two will help him avoid any arguments with Yixing. So when he leaves the shower stall, he finalizes his decision, running a hand over his face when he realizes that he forgot to bring clothes with him. Thankfully the smaller male is still out when he returns but he still dresses hurriedly to be able to prepare himself for when he needs to give the bracelet to Yixing. He doesn’t think much of what to say, knowing he will forget the words anyway because of his nervousness so he just tries to calm himself down while he waits for Yixing to arrive. His brain short-circuits when his ears pick up the sound of the doorknob turning and the door being pushed open. Yifan stills where he’s seated on the edge of his bed, facing the younger’s own. He smiles nervously when he sees the dancer walk in, feeling the corner of his lips quivering when he lifts them. It is responded with a smile as well and he’s relieved when he sees the indentation on the younger’s cheek.
“You okay?” Yixing asks when he reaches where the elder is sitting, eyes never leaving his figure right when he enters their room. The taller male just nods and reaches for the younger’s left hand, humming when he doesn’t feel the other retracting his hand to himself. His eyes close when the smaller one’s other hand cups his cheek, leaning into the dancer’s touch while it is still there. When he doesn’t feel it leaving any time soon, he opens his eyes and chooses that as the right time to give the jewelry.
“I have something for you,” Yifan says, one hand squeezing the younger’s before the other reaches for his backpack to retrieve the small paper bag. Yixing tilts his head to the side as the elder places the maroon bag on his lap. The taller male can see the dancer’s eyes widen when he sees the name of the jewelry shop on the bag. The actor finally releases the other’s hand to be able to open it easily. When he removes the small rectangular black box inside, he hears the gasp Yixing lets out and hopes the younger doesn’t push him away for what he does next. Without saying anything, he takes the other’s hand again and wraps the chain around the smaller one’s wrist before securing the clasp to lock the accessory only loose enough not to fall from the younger’s hand. Yifan then takes the other bracelet before wearing it himself. Once the silver is secured around their wrists, he takes his roommate’s hand again, the circular accessories clinking with each other then he breathes out, “Couple bracelet.”
Yixing bites his lower lip, eyes trained on the silver around his wrist, clearly unable to find the right words to say. He finally settles for, “You didn’t have to,” after a few seconds and the elder can’t help but exhale the breath he didn’t even think he was holding. Next thing he knows his lips are moving and he can’t deny the truth that comes out of it, “I just thought of you when I saw it.”
When the silence sits between them and all he’s doing now is watch Yixing look at the accessory with amazement, he half thanks himself that he went with this option, almost unbelieving that the other is not swearing and getting mad at his sudden action. With more confidence in himself, Yifan playfully tells the other, “Make sure to wear it everyday.” The younger giggles and nods before finally saying, “Thank you.”
That night they sleep with the couple bracelet secured around their wrists, the jewelry glinting with the light of the moon.