a band-aid for your wounds (a kiss for your heart)
a band-aid for your wounds (a kiss for your heart)
Pairings: Kris/Lay
Genre: AU
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 9,130
Summary: (based off Koishite Daddy) Wu Fan is a single father raising his six year old daughter alone. After helping his neighbour Yixing, a gay university student, through a difficult break up, they start to become closer.
“Come on Mei, it’s time for school,” Wu Fan says, slinging the Hello Kitty backpack over one shoulder and stretching his arm out with a smile, fingers wriggling. The small girl bounces over, a pink bow on each of her pigtails.
“Will Daddy pick me up later?” she asks, eyes wide. Wu Fan nods and closes his fingers around her tiny hand, a protective instinct trickling through him.
“I’ll be there as soon as I can alright? You just wait with the teacher until I get there.”
Mei nods fiercely and follows Wu Fan out of the house, balancing on the step beside the door before leaping onto the wooden deck. Her dress is a little too big for her and the sleeves hang down by her elbows, the hem far below her knees. The lace of one of her shoes comes loose and she blinks at it expectantly.
Wu Fan sighs and bends down, fingers deftly tying it back up into a knot.
“Be careful baby, you don’t want to trip and hurt yourself.”
Mei giggles and tugs at Wu Fan’s hair, earning a wince from the latter.
“Hey!” Wu Fan says, tickling at her stomach and smiling when she screams with laughter, “don’t mess with Daddy’s hair.”
There’s the sound of a door opening nearby and Wu Fan looks over to see their neighbour peer at them amusedly.
“Morning Yixing,” Wu Fan says, snaking an arm around Mei’s waist and carefully hoisting her up so that she sits against his chest, her school bag hanging over his other shoulder.
Yixing grins and leans against the doorframe, a steaming cup of coffee in one hand.
“Hey Wu Fan. Up nice and early?”
Wu Fan snorts and Mei circles her arms around his neck, blowing a sloppy kiss into his neck with a laugh.
“Yeah, as per usual. Thanks to this one.” He nudges Mei with his head and Mei sends him an affronted look before she burries her face in his shoulder. Yixing laughs lightly and takes a sip of his coffee.
“Are you off to uni today?” Wu Fan asks.
“I start in a few hours.”
Wu Fan smiles.
“Alright, well have a good day then.”
“You too,” Yixing says before adding, “and you Mei.”
Mei looks up at him and grins toothily, attempting to make a heart with her arms but just ends up knocking Wu Fan in the nose with an elbow.
“Bye bye mister Yixing,” she says and Yixing offers her a small wave.
*
“What did you learn at school?” Wu Fan asks as he moves around the kitchen. There is the distinct smell of something burning and he inwardly curses his decision to attempt a proper meal. Mei doesn’t look up from the table, her focus entirely on the drawing she is making.
“We learnt about putting words together,” she says, tongue poking out cutely from between her lips as she concentrates. Wu Fan grimaces as he tries to scoop out bits of eggshell from the egg yolk he has just poured into a bowl.
“Uh huh,” he says, attention limited, “that sounds interesting.” Mei gurgles approvingly in her throat and holds up her drawing.
“Look Daddy, I drew our family! This is me and this is you see! Your legs are really long.”
Wu Fan looks over and smiles.
“That looks great baby. My legs really are long aren’t they?” he says, noting that in Mei’s drawing his legs are in fact so long, that his body and head are almost nonexistent. Mei nods.
There’s a sudden crash outside and Wu Fan pauses in his movement, a wooden spoon in one hand and a bowl in the other. Mei looks startled and she jerks around.
Somebody shouts and it’s followed by a loud string of swear words that Wu Fan really wishes Mei couldn’t hear.
“What’s wrong?” Mei asks and Wu Fan shakes his head, eyebrows furrowed in concern. He places both the bowl and the spoon down and goes over to the door.
“I’m not sure,” he says quietly before turning back to Mei. “You stay here alright baby? Daddy will just be a second.”
He opens the door and walks out onto the porch, gasping a little when he sees Yixing hunched over next door, his knees bent and head bowed forward. He is only wearing a thin white shirt and it trails just over his hips, settling high on his thighs. Wu Fan supposes he might be embarrassed if it wasn’t for the overwhelming burst of concern that flares in his chest when he sees a series of red welts across Yixing’s cheek.
“Are you alright?” Wu Fan says, hurrying over. He bends down and notices that Yixing’s eyes glisten with unshed tears. The scratches on his cheek looks more painful up close; lines of bright red dotted with blood.
Yixing nods and digs the heel of his palm into his eyes before exhaling loudly.
“I’m fine. I guess break ups are never fun,” he says with a wry smile.
“That doesn’t give anyone an excuse to do that to you,” Wu Fan replies, gesturing at the scratches. Yixing wrinkles his nose.
“Yeah he was the biggest prick I’ve ever met,” Yixing says, “it’s just unfortunate that it took me a while to realise that.” Wu Fan kind of misses the second half of that sentence because he is still stuck on the fact that Yixing was dating a “he” and all of the implications that come alongside it.
“He?”
Yixing looks at him.
“Yes, he. Why, is that - is that a problem?”
Wu Fan swallows before shaking his head because of course not, and besides, this isn’t the time for that anyway - Yixing is hurt and clearly upset and the last thing he needs right now is a judgmental neighbour.
“Come inside,” Wu Fan says, fingers curling around Yixing’s wrist. “I’m just making dinner. I think I’ve got a few Dora the Explorer bandaids stashed away somewhere.” He feels a glimmer of satisfaction when Yixing’s lips quiver into a smile.
“I can do that at home…”
“I insist,” Wu Fan says, “And I’m sure Mei will be more than happy to have a guest over for dinner.”
Yixing sends him a grateful look.
“Alright then, but let me get some pants on first.”
And this time, Wu Fan does have the decency to blush.
*
He isn’t wrong about Mei, because as soon as Wu Fan announces that Yixing is going to stay with them for a few hours, Mei drops her colouring pencils and leaps to her feet, tackling Yixing’s leg, her tiny fingers clenching in the denim of his jeans.
“Mister Yixing come draw with me!”
Yixing deftly untangles her from his leg and lets her lead him over to the kitchen table while Wu Fan goes back to his cooking nightmare.
A smile tugs at his lips when Yixing draws Mei in a princess outfit with fairy wings, much to her pure delight as she squeals and promptly leaps onto his stomach.
“Careful now baby,” Wu Fan says from behind the kitchen counter, “you don’t want to hurt Yixing do you?” Mei shakes her head, although makes no attempt to move as she wriggles her body back and forth.
“Mister Yixing is already hurt though Daddy,” she says and Wu Fan, belatedly, realises he completely forgot about the scratches on Yixing’s cheek. He must look guilty because Yixing waves it away with a smile.
“It’s not that bad Mei,” he says and Mei sits back on his lap, a pout on her face.
“Baby, go see if you can find some of your bandaids for Yixing,” Wu Fan says and Mei obediently slides off Yixing’s legs, trotting down the hallway to her room.
Before Wu Fan can even apologise, Yixing gets to his feet with a raised hand.
“No, don’t worry about it,” he says, moving over to stand in front of Wu Fan, fingers curled around the edge of the bench. “What’s more important here is your mess of a dinner.” Wu Fan gapes at him; insulted.
“So this is what happens when I invite you as a guest into our house...”
Yixing laughs and walks over, leaning beside him, elbowing Wu Fan lightly in the ribs.
“Well lucky for you, I know how to cook,” he says, plucking the bowl from Wu Fan’s loose grip. The following grin tugs his lips wide over perfect teeth and Wu Fan absently notes the dimple indented beside his mouth.
They are interrupted by a screech as Mei comes back into the room, brandishing a dozen different Disney themed bandaids and declaring Yixing should wear them all.
*
It’s somewhat pleasant to have a guest for dinner and Wu Fan finds himself smiling effortlessly, laughing every time Yixing tries to impress Mei - feeling truly happy for the first time in a while.
It’s late now, and Wu Fan turns the light off in Mei’s bedroom with a click and quietly shuts the door, tiptoeing back down the hallway to where Yixing waits, hesitating by the door.
“Thanks for tonight,” he says softly and Wu Fan nods. He smirks a little at Mei’s bandaid of choice - a bright pink Sleeping Beauty one which is plastered across Yixing’s cheek. Yixing seems completely unfazed by it though, and his gaze remains steadily trained on Wu Fan’s face.
“I’m just so grateful for your help. If there’s anything I can ever do for you-”
“It’s fine Yixing, no big deal. I understand how difficult breakups can be. I mean I had to deal with my wife running away with another man, so yeah, I understand breakups pretty well.” He doesn’t mean to sound bitter but it still somehow does, sliding a little too sharply off his tongue.
Yixing just looks at him, blinking, eyelashes fluttering in the light of neon lamp hanging above the door.
“I’m sorry,” he says quietly.
Wu Fan shakes his head.
“Don’t be. She left me the most beautiful baby girl.”
Yixing’s lips tug into a gentle smile and he hums in agreement. They stand there for a few moments, Yixing shuffling awkwardly from one foot to the other and Wu Fan with both hands loosely resting inside the pockets of his pants.
‘Well, I guess I’ll see you nice and early tomorrow morning,” Yixing says, tilting his head with a smile. Wu Fan laughs softly.
“I guess so.”
*
Its five minutes until school is over and Wu Fan is stuck in the middle of a meeting. He shifts uncomfortably, eager to leave, but his boss seems to pay no attention to him whatsoever; instead, he continues to ramble on about profit margins and ways to increase business. There’s a clock which sits just above the table and Wu Fan watches it fervently, following the tick of the second hand with his eyes.
With an inward sigh, he realises that once again, he’s going to be late picking Mei up. He flicks his phone on beneath the table and runs down his contact list, searching for someone to pick her up in his place. He’s getting rather desperate - everyone seems to either live too far away or have some other issue - when he gets to the end and hovers over “Zhang Yixing.” His nose wrinkles and he looks up to the clock again as though willing time to slow down. Evidently, he isn’t a time lord, and so he quickly types in a message and hopes Yixing sees it in time.
His phone buzzes a few seconds later with Yixing’s assurance and Wu Fan visibly relaxes, texting him back with an abundance of thanks.
Wu Fan arrives home to see Yixing sitting out on the wooden deck with Mei in front of him, teaching him a clapping game. Yixing makes a mistake and Mei laughs, wagging her finger in annoyance.
“No, it’s like this!” she says, her own small hands moving Yixing’s in an imitation. Yixing makes a sound of understanding and is about to repeat it when he sees Wu Fan. He smiles, eyes curved and dimple present.
“Daddy!” Mei screeches, also noticing Wu Fan, as she gets to her feet and leaps at him for a hug. Wu Fan chuckles and picks her up, spinning her around once before placing her back down again.
“Mister Yixing took me home!” she says, grinning happily. Wu Fan thumbs her nose gently, hand cupping her cheek.
“I know. I asked him to.”
Mei squeals and turns around on the spot, arms open wide.
“He bought me ice cream too Daddy!”
Wu Fan looks over at Yixing and raises an eyebrow.
“Did he now?”
Yixing bites his lip, clearly unsure if he should apologise or not. Mei, completely oblivious to it all, starts to pretend she is an aeroplane and amuses herself by zooming through the yard. Wu Fan uses her distraction to walk over, offering his thanks to Yixing.
“You don’t have to spoil her you know,” he says and Yixing nods, smiling as he watches Mei twirl in a circle before falling back onto the grass.
“I know but I wanted to. I love kids.”
Wu Fan laughs. “I can tell.”
Yixing leans back, still seated on the ground with his legs crossed - Wu Fan feels exceptionally tall standing beside him and so he drops down to the wooden planks of the deck, careful so as not to tear his suit pants. An almost sad expression crosses Yixing’s face and Wu Fan frowns.
“What is it?”
Yixing looks at him and shakes his head, hair falling across his eyes.
“It’s nothing,” he says, and his fingers play with each other, twisting and weaving in and out. “I guess it’s just that, because I’ll never have kids of my own, I love them even more.”
Wu Fan is about to ask why when his reply catches in his throat and he realises because oh, that’s right. He’s never quite met anyone so open about their homosexuality as Yixing seems to be and it almost throws him off. But despite that, Wu Fan feels something in his chest pang with empathy.
“You have Mei,” Wu Fan says quietly, “she likes you a lot.”
Yixing doesn’t respond, watching Mei who is now plaiting blades of grass together. Wu Fan swallows.
“And you know, if you keep buying her ice cream like this, maybe she’ll end up liking you more than me,” he says, earning himself a smile from Yixing.
Mei comes back over, placing the crown of grass she has weaved on top of Yixing’s head with a smile. It’s tiny and sits just beside one of his ears, tilting a great deal.
“Now you’re a princess like me!” she says, clapping her hands enthusiastically. Yixing laughs and fixes the crown up so that is sits properly, right in the centre of his copper brown hair.
“You’re still the prettiest princess though,” he says, pinching her cheek. Mei squeals and ducks away, looking back as though waiting for Yixing to follow her. So he does, getting to his feet with a shout as he starts to chase her around the front lawn, purposely slower as he swings at her and misses dramatically. Wu Fan loosens his tie and props his elbows on his knees as he watches in amusement. It only takes a few moments before he has had enough.
“To hell with it,” he says, before he tosses his tie away and runs after them both.
They don’t stop playing until the sun starts to set and Mei decides to invite Yixing over for dinner again.
*
It becomes an almost regular occurrence, with Yixing picking Mei up from school every other day and then coming over to their house for dinner. Wu Fan doesn’t mind - it helps him a great deal and Yixing always ends up cooking most of the meal anyway.
“You know you really don’t have to do this,” Wu Fan says as Yixing slices up the meat for another meal. Yixing rolls his eyes.
“What and let you cook something poisonous? Please.” He snorts softly. “Besides, dinner is nicer when it’s shared right?” His smile is soft and Wu Fan can’t help but feel a spark of affection in return.
“Thanks you know, for all of this.”
He isn’t entirely sure what “all of this” is, but Yixing does take a huge weight off his chest and for that, at the very least, he is grateful. He shuffles the paperwork he was doing into a pile and places his pen on top of it, casting a glance over to where Mei is busy watching the television.
“How’s uni going?” he asks Yixing, folding his arms. Yixing makes a vague noise and rather savagely dices an onion.
“It’s alright. I’m thinking about changing my degree.”
“Oh? To what?”
“Music or something I think. I just never realised how boring economics is until now,” he says, a laugh bubbling from his lips. He pours a few drops of oil into the pan and steps back as the gas beneath it flares.
“Do you play something?”
Yixing nods, pushing all of the ingredients on the cutting board into the pan before tossing it around.
“Yeah, I used to play guitar for a bit. And I know a bit of classical piano.”
Something tugs at Wu Fan’s shirt and he looks down to see Mei blinking up at him.
“When is dinner ready?” she asks and Yixing cocks a smile from across the kitchen counter.
“Give me two minutes alright Mei?”
“Yes Mister Yixing!”
Yixing laughs and waves his hand in the air.
“It’s just Yixing, Mei. Just call me Yixing.”
Mei salutes him with a fierce look in her eye and marches away, back to the television.
*
“At least let me do the washing up Yixing my god, you’re not my housekeeper!” Wu Fan says, sliding in beside Yixing with a sponge and a dirty dish. Yixing laughs and nudges him away but Wu Fan remains persistent, scrubbing furiously at the dish beneath the soap bubbles. His elbows bump with Yixing’s and he hums softly to himself, some nonsensical thing with no real tune. It’s nice to have someone like this, someone willing to help and be there for Wu Fan when he needs it. He smiles because just having Yixing beside him is enough for contentment to swirl around his heart.
Yixing pulls back suddenly, nose wriggling and eyes blinking rapidly. He pauses for a second, before he sneezes loudly, a high pitched sound that tapers off into something like a hiccup. Wu Fan bites back a laugh as he rinses off the plate he is holding.
Yixing rubs at his nose, leaving a series of bubbles his cheek when his hand moves away. Wu Fan tsks and reaches across brushing them away gently with his thumb. It’s a bit of a slip on his behalf and when he pulls back, he sees a light flush crawl up the back of Yixing’s neck and fan across his cheeks.
“Don’t,” Yixing says, turning his focus back to the dishes, “you’ll get my hopes up.” Wu Fan looks at him; astonished for a second, before he sees a faint smile peek through his lips. He coughs, going back to his cleaning.
“Sorry,” he says, confusion twisting his stomach. Yixing leans over and strings a series of bubbles up Wu Fan’s arm, laughing a little at the latter’s wide eyes.
“It’s fine,” he says, and Wu Fan really wishes his heartbeat would slow down.
*
“Daddy, I drew a picture!” Mei shouts, swinging her legs as she sits on a chair. The lids are on all of her markers, Wu Fan notes happily - he doesn’t particularly want another purple ink stain on the kitchen table. Whatever Yixing is cooking tonight smells delicious and Wu Fan’s stomach rumbles in agreement as he looks over. It’s difficult to tell what the stick figures are really, although he is certain the small one in ponytails and a princess crown is Mei.
“It’s wonderful baby!” he says, walking over to ruffle her hair. Mei shakes him off, sending a glare his way before smiling proudly at her picture.
“See this is our family!” she says, pointing her finger repeatedly at the page, “See! Look!” Wu Fan nods and bends down, resting his cheek against hers as he peers over her shoulder.
“Why are there three people?” he asks with a small frown. Mei beams.
“This is me,” she says pointing to the girl in the pink dress - Wu Fan inwardly applauds himself at getting that right. “This is you,” she continues, poking the one with the yellow hair and a tie around his neck, “and this one is Yixing.”
She’s drawn Yixing with a big smile and a dot beside his cheek, which is supposedly his dimple. Wu Fan feels his heart stutter to a halt.
“Yixing?” he questions and Mei nods.
The noise in the kitchen has stopped and Wu Fan can only guess Yixing is watching on, just as bewildered as he is.
“Yixing isn’t - I mean, he’s not really part of our family…”
Mei lets out a loud exhale and promptly punches Wu Fan in the chest. Her fists may be small, but they still manage to hurt, and Wu Fan winces at the contact.
“Yixing is part of our family! I love him a lot!” She opens her arms up wide to demonstrate just how much a lot is. Wu Fan places a soothing hand on her shoulder.
“I know you love him baby,’ Wu Fan says softly.
“You love him too don’t you Daddy?”
Wu Fan feels himself turn a dark shade of red and is truly thankful that Yixing can’t see his face right now.
“I well - I like Yixing of course...”
Mei narrows her eyes at him and purses her lips. She seems like she is about to say something but a strangled sound behind them makes her stop.
Wu Fan spins around to see Yixing, shoulders slack and bottom lip trembling, tears beginning to stream down his face. There’s a pause where Wu Fan just looks at him, before he runs over, snagging a couple of tissues on his way to dry off Yixing’s cheeks.
“Hey,” he says, voice soft, “what’s wrong? Why are you crying?”
Yixing chokes back a sob and blinks away a few tears. His hands curl against his own chest, seeming so small and vulnerable that Wu Fan is at a total loss for what he should do. Something is bubbling in the background, steam rising from the pot on the stove.
“She loves me?” he says quietly in total disbelief.
Wu Fan laughs and shakes his head, wiping another stray tear off Yixing’s cheek.
“Of course. You’re her Mister Yixing.”
Yixing smiles through his tears, sniffling a little. Wu Fan moves a bit closer, resting a hand on Yixing’s shoulder and squeezing it gently.
“Don’t cry Yixing, you’re apparently part of our family now.” He says it with a smile and is able to see a similar spark of amusement light up Yixing’s eyes. Yixing places a hand over Wu Fan’s resting on his shoulder, fingers slipping into the spaces between.
“Thank you,” he says, and Wu Fan feels his breath catch.
*
“Wheee!” Mei shouts, swinging on Wu Fan’s arm as they walk back home after school. It’s a hot day and Wu Fan is regretting not removing his suit jacket, feeling the sun burn against his back. He sighs and wipes the perspiration off his face as Mei swings to a stop, small feet struggling to keep up with Wu Fan’s long strides.
“Is Mister Yixing coming for dinner again tonight Daddy?” Mei asks, her eyes bright as she looks up at him. Wu Fan winces a bit, pressing his lips together.
It’s edging on something strange with Yixing and Wu Fan isn’t entirely sure if he likes the way his heartbeat quickens when Yixing smiles at him, or the way he feels a warm surge of affection at the thought of the other man. Perhaps it’s just a symptom of divorce to seek comfort in the arms of anyone who happens to be there - in this case, Yixing. Regardless, he isn’t sure if he wants it all to continue.
“Not tonight baby,” he says and Mei lets out a whine, breaking away from Wu Fan’s hold as she crosses her arms and lowers her eyebrows at him.
“But I want him to come over!”
“We can’t keep asking him to do things for us or he’ll get annoyed.”
“No! I want Yixing!” she says, face turning red with the effort of her pout. Wu Fan sighs, an irrational anger flaring inside him.
“Mei, that’s enough! Stop being ridiculous!”
There’s a pause where Mei looks like she is about to cry and then she is off, running down the street, far faster than Wu Fan can follow in his suit and tie and briefcase. It only takes a few minutes before Wu Fan has lost sight of her completely and a flurry of fear and concern smothers him.
“Fuck,” he swears, walking up and down the street, “surely she couldn’t have gone far?”
He checks the alleyways, the small shops on the street, the ice cream vender - none of them have seen her. As time passes to almost an hour, his dread rises like bile in his throat and all of the terrible things that could have happened to Mei seem to flash in his mind like a miniature horror movie. She could have been hit by a car, she could have been kidnapped, she could have gotten lost. He suddenly realises that this is his worst fear - his worst fear is losing her.
He decides to head home in case she comes back, worry still clenching his heart and poisoning his mind. She’s not there so he sits down on the steps, head in his hands. He slips his phone out of his pocket and presses it to his ear, running a hand through his hair.
“Yes! Yixing?” he asks, getting to his feet, “Is Mei with you?”
“Yeah, she’s with me.”
Wu Fan lets out a breath he didn’t realise he had been holding and the fear quickly morphs into anger, swirling inside him.
“How long has she been with you?”
“For about half an hour?”
“What the hell Yixing! Why didn’t you call me?”
“I - well, she told me not to I’m sorry I-“
Wu Fan almost drops the phone as there is a shout of “Daddy!” and Mei runs up to him, attaching herself to his leg. He puts the phone back into his pocket and bends down, wrapping his arms around her to pull her close.
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” he says softly and Mei clings to his shirt, only letting go as Wu Fan pulls back. “I was so worried about you, I’ve been looking all over the place and I thought you might be hurt but you’re not and - just don’t ever do that again baby.” He turns his attention over to where Yixing stands hesitantly to the side, watching Wu Fan with eyes full of trepidation.
“I’m sorry,” Yixing says, head bowed but Wu Fan is beyond rationality at this point and he stomps over, teeth clenched. Yixing looks so timid, his posture rigid, shoulders hunched forward and yet, strangely, it only makes Wu Fan even more furious.
“You could have called or something. I was worried sick,” Wu Fan grits out, voice low. He shoves at his chest and Yixing stumbles back a little, hands clenching at his sides.
“You don’t get it Yixing, you don’t understand how parents feel about their children!” he shouts, “and you never will!”
With an angry exhale, he turns back and grabs Mei by the hand, dragging her inside and away from where Yixing stands, before slamming the door shut.
*
Mei doesn’t speak to him for a long time, choosing to sit at the table, tracing patterns into the wood. Wu Fan watches her for a while before he sits down next to her, reaching over to still her hand.
“Mei - baby I-“
“You shouldn’t have been mean to Yixing,” she says suddenly, frowning at the table. Her tiny fingers curl into fists and her body shudders slightly. Wu Fan swallows, moving closer as he wraps an arm around her gently.
“It was my fault. I told him not to tell Daddy.” Her eyes brim with tears and one drips onto the table. Wu Fan hurriedly shushes her and wipes her cheeks.
“Baby it’s okay I know. It’s not his fault and it’s not your fault. It’s Daddy’s fault for being silly alright?” He pulls her into his lap, rocking her back and forth, nose pressed into her hair. “I’m sorry for making you upset, but you scared me! Promise me you’ll never run away again?”
Mei nods against his chest and glances up at him, eyes still shining.
“I promise,” she says, her voice wavering. Wu Fan hugs her tightly. “But you should go tell Yixing sorry too.” As she wriggles out of Wu Fan’s grasp, she pokes him lightly on the nose. Of course she is right, and Wu Fan dully wonders when his own six year old daughter became a better person than he is.
“I’ll go right away,” Wu Fan says, standing up from the chair as he does so. Mei nods enthusiastically - the only evidence of her tears now lies in the wet shine on her cheeks as the brightness returns to her eyes. She follows him to the door before wishing him good luck (namely, offering a wet kiss to his cheek) and then goes back inside to find her drawing book.
Wu Fan hovers around Yixing’s door for a few good moments before knocking. It’s opened almost immediately to reveal Yixing in a black singlet, his face falling slightly when he sees Wu Fan.
“Um, hi,” Wu Fan tries, biting his lip, “Can I come in?”
Yixing doesn’t say a word but he steps back from the doorway, indicating for Wu Fan to enter. Wu Fan follows him and they both sit down.
“Yixing,” Wu Fan begins, “I just wanted to apologise.”
Yixing exhales through his nose and leans slightly across the table, the skin on his arms smooth. He looks up at Wu Fan, pupils dark and unreadable except for the hint of regret which prickles in them.
“No, you were right. I don’t know what it’s like to be a parent. I should have called you. I’m really sorry.” His words trail off and Wu Fan hopes to god that he isn’t going to start crying.
“Yixing,” he repeats, fingers curling around Yixing’s wrist, “I had no right to say that. You’re brilliant with Mei, and I’m always so grateful that you are there for us both.”
Yixing swallows and Wu Fan sighs, suddenly reaching over to pull Yixing into a hug. Yixing’s body is small and fits snugly between Wu Fan’s arms which curve around him, fingers splayed across his back as Yixing’s chin nestles against his chest. He can feel the way Yixing’s heartbeat leaps wildly against him and, mildly notes, that his heartbeat is doing exactly the same.
“Wu Fan,” Yixing says, his voice muffled against Wu Fan’s chest and it comes out in hot puffs of air. Wu Fan pulls away, hands moving to rest on Yixing’s shoulders. His face is a little flushed and Wu Fan finds it oddly endearing, but then Yixing looks at him with those dark eyes and now something far more intense is swirling inside them. It sends a jolt of something hot and fiery straight to the pit of Wu Fan’s stomach.
“I told you not to do things like that or you’ll get my hopes up,” Yixing says softly, and there is this dangerous edge to his tone, as though Wu Fan is treading a little too close on the ledge of something chaotic. But, Wu Fan realises, albeit possibly overdue, that maybe this chaos - that maybe Yixing, is exactly what he needs.
“What if I want you to get your hopes up?” Wu Fan says, and he barely has time to register the shock on Yixing’s face before he leans forward and kisses him. Yixing gasps and as he parts his lips, Wu Fan slips his tongue between them, exploring Yixing’s mouth eagerly. Yixing’s moan catches in his throat and his hands fist in Wu Fan’s shirt, pulling him closer before winding around his neck to deepen the kiss.
Wu Fan pushes him back, onto the floor with a soft thud and Yixing arches in to him, impatient, as he grips Wu Fan’s hips and pulls them forward. It’s when Yixing’s hand snakes beneath Wu Fan’s shirt and pushes it up and over his head that Wu Fan snaps back, sitting on his haunches as he blinks, a little dazedly.
With one look at Yixing on the floor, all flushed and hot, hair tangled in a halo around his head, shirt riding up just above his hips to reveal the purple waistband of his underwear - it’s almost enough to drive him over the edge.
“Listen Yixing,” Wu Fan says, voice shaking with the effort of restraint, “we can’t now - I mean, Mei is waiting for me and I’m not- I don’t know how-” he trails off, hoping he looks far less embarrassed then he feels. He supposes he doesn’t because Yixing’s lips are quivering with a poor attempt to conceal a smile.
Yixing sits up, slipping out from beneath Wu Fan with a sigh. When their eyes meet, Wu Fan can see a flicker of hesitation cross Yixing’s face.
“Did you mean that though? The kiss…” Yixing says, biting his lip. It’s not so much embarrassment as it is uncertainty, the fear of a misunderstanding displayed in the way he nervously curls his fingers into tight fists beside him.
Wu Fan moves closer again, a hand coming up to gently caress the side of Yixing’s cheek with the back of his fingers.
“I did,” he says, and then presses their lips together again. This time, it’s far more precious, a light touch so full of emotion and a hint of barely restrained desire. Their noses bump together when Wu Fan pulls back and he hovers there, reveling in the way Yixing’s warm breath breezes across his parted lips.
Yixing frowns, and Wu Fan silently finds the way his eyebrows furrow adorable.
“But I don’t understand?” he says and Wu Fan stands up but as he does so, he links their fingers together, not quite ready to relinquish contact.
“Me either,” Wu Fan says truthfully, “but I understand that I like you, a lot. And I like kissing you.” He says the last bit with a smile and Yixing snorts, getting to his feet. He casts a look at their intertwined fingers and his lips pull up at the corners.
“I like kissing you too if that means anything,” Yixing says and Wu Fan rolls his eyes. He goes to leave but Yixing’s fingers hold tight, never slipping from their grasp. Wu Fan turns around and looks at him, an eyebrow rising.
“So, are you coming for dinner or not?”
Yixing grins.
*
Dinner is peaceful. The three of them sit at the table - Mei is in a brilliant mood because Wu Fan and Yixing made up. She bounces in her seat and makes random remarks every few seconds about things they should all do together. Neither Wu Fan nor Yixing mention anything about possible changes in their relationship status and besides, Wu Fan feels like there is more for them to discuss before they say anything to Mei.
It’s after Wu Fan puts Mei to bed that they finally sit down together. Although sit down is a bit of a stretch, as Yixing barely waits till Wu Fan has moved away from Mei’s door before he pulls Wu Fan close and kisses him. Wu Fan pushes him away, a breathy laugh against his lips, tugging him down the hall and back into the living room.
“I don’t want to wake Mei,” he says softly and Yixing hums low in his throat, licking an obscene stripe down Wu Fan’s neck. Wu Fan pushes him back again, dropping his head and burying his nose in Yixing’s neck, pressing a giggle against his skin.
“Stop it,” he says, although it lacks conviction. Yixing’s hands frame his waist and pull him close, but he makes no further move. He’s only a breath away, and the light from the muted television dances across his eyes, shimmering and twirling in whites and blues. Wu Fan traces the line of his jaw up and over his cheek, pressing a light kiss to the tip of Yixing’s nose.
“You’re so beautiful,” he murmurs and he can feel Yixing’s chest expand against his own as he exhales. It’s wonderful how seamlessly Yixing fits in his hold, snug and close against his chest, as Wu Fan wraps his arms around Yixing’s smaller frame.
“Do we need to talk?” he says, and Yixing rumbles against him, a sigh breathed out from his lips.
“Well that depends. Do you like me?”
Wu Fan snorts softly and it ruffles a few strands of Yixing’s hair.
“Obviously.”
“Then that’s all that matters for now.”
*
It’s hot when Wu Fan gets back from work, already having slipped out from his jacket and rolled his sleeves up to his elbows. He finds Yixing and Mei lying in the grass outside the house, watching the clouds drift lazily overhead.
“What are you two doing?” he asks, dropping beside them, careful to avoid grass stains on his shirt as he leans back on the ground. Yixing looks at him sideways. A stray hair falls across his eyes and Wu Fan reaches across to brush it away, touch lingering just a little too long on his cheek. The smile that slips across Yixing’s lips is worth it.
“We were just watching the clouds,” Yixing says, gaze drawn up to the sky again. His smile lingers, wavering faintly on his lips as though torn between pulling wider or fading. Wu Fan leans his head back with a sigh, one hand falling on his chest and the other creeping across the grass until he finds Yixing’s hand, fingers tangling together.
Yixing’s hand is cool, despite the heat of the weather, and as Yixing’s fingers tighten their grasp, Wu Fan feels contentment shiver through his body.
“I found a baby rabbit!” Mei says, pointing happily up to the sky. Yixing laughs.
“I see it! And next to it looks like a carrot too!”
Mei screams in delight and wriggles her legs. She suddenly sits up and turns around and Wu Fan isn’t entirely sure if she notices the way his hand is linked with Yixing’s, but he doesn’t pull away.
“Is it almost time for Dora?” she asks. Wu Fan holds up the hand on his chest, checking the watch on his wrist.
“You have two minutes before it starts baby.”
Mei jumps to her feet and skips away, the patter of her feet a soft thump against the wooden deck as she runs inside to the television. Wu Fan doesn’t make any effort to move; the sun is warm on his skin and when he closes his eyes, a bright orange encompasses his vision. He can hear Yixing exhale beside him and he rubs his thumb over the back of Yixing’s palm, smoothing the skin stretched across it.
“What was she like, your wife?” Yixing asks quietly. There’s a hesitant quality to his words and Wu Fan rolls over so that he is supported by his elbows, hips flat against the grass. He digs his shoes into the dirt and shuffles closer, hovering just above Yixing who still lays on his back.
“She was beautiful,” he says softly, “and she was the most amazing singer. She used to sing Mei to sleep every night when she was a baby.”
Yixing swallows and his gaze doesn’t meet Wu Fan’s, choosing to occupy himself by tracing patterns in the clouds.
“You loved her?”
Wu Fan sighs. “I did.”
Jealousy flickers in Yixing’s eyes but he is quick to quell it.
“Do you miss her?”
“I did,” Wu Fan replies again with a smile, “But I don’t anymore.” Yixing’s eyes dart over to him and Wu Fan pokes him lightly on the nose, laughing as Yixing goes slightly cross eyes trying to look at his finger.
Yixing swipes Wu Fan’s hand away, catching his wrist in a tight grip before pulling him closer. Wu Fan lets himself be dragged forward, crossing his arms on Yixing’s chest, chin nestled between them.
“Really? And why is that?” Yixing asks slyly, the corner of his lips pulling up into what resembles a smirk.
“It may have something to do with the sexy guy next door,” Wu Fan whispers, moving slowly upwards to press a kiss against Yixing’s mouth. He can feel the curve of Yixing’s smile trapped against his lips.
“You loser,” Yixing mumbles, snaking an arm around Wu Fan’s neck, fingers twisting in his hair.
They exchange languid kisses for a while, interspersed with lazy words and soft smiles as the clouds float silently by overhead and the sun droops lower on the horizon.
When Wu Fan finally pulls back, he shuffles around, moving so that he can rest his head on Yixing’s chest, face turned towards the orange-streaked sky as they watch the sunset together.
It isn’t until Mei screams for food that Wu Fan and Yixing finally move, traipsing back to the house with their fingers intertwined, and smiles on their faces.
*
“Yixing,” Mei says, her voice taking on a stern quality. Yixing looks up from his move in snakes and ladders which fortunately for him, saw him climbing up a very long ladder. They all sit around the floor in the living room playing the game, Mei hunched over with her knees pulled up to her chest.
“What is it Mei?” Yixing says, resting his elbows on his knees. He brushes the hair out of his eyes and looks at her.
“Do you remember I gave you a band-aid and it helped you get better?”
Yixing nods slowly, unsure of where she is going with it, but smiling all the same.
“Of course I do! It was a pink Sleeping Beauty one if I remember correctly.”
Mei snickers at that and a smile creeps across her lips. She rolls the die and counts four spaces, a smug grin on her face as she climbs up a ladder and surpasses Yixing on the board.
“Well,” she says, sitting back down, “Daddy was hurting before you came.” Wu Fan looks at her, feeling a stab of guilt over the fact that he hadn’t managed to hide his pain from her well enough. He aimed to avoid burdening Mei at all costs - nothing was her fault after all.
Yixing glances at Wu Fan before his gaze settles back on Mei.
“Oh,” is all he says a rise in his tone to indicate curiosity.
Mei continues, seemingly unfazed.
“But you fixed him,” she says, “like my band-aid fixed you.”
Wu Fan lets out a puff of laughter, head falling down. Yixing’s lips pull into an affectionate smile.
“Well Mei,” he whispers, making sure its audible enough for Wu Fan to hear, “do you want to know a secret?”
Mei moves over to him, eyes wide as she waits in anticipation. Yixing leans closer, elbows on the ground now, a hand cupped by the side of his mouth.
“Your daddy fixed me too,” he says.
*
A few weeks later, Wu Fan decides that it’s time.
“Mei,” Wu Fan says, bending down onto one knee so he is closer to her level. Mei looks at him, puffing her cheeks out a little. “Yixing and I need to tell you something.”
Mei tilts her head, the smallest of wrinkles on her forehead as she frowns.
“What is it Daddy?”
Wu Fan worries his bottom lip. He isn’t entirely sure what the procedure is to reveal that you’re dating the guy next door to your six year old daughter. A warm hand squeezes his shoulder reassuringly and Wu Fan looks up as Yixing smiles at him.
“Well, me - and Yixing - we are um, we are boyfriends now,” he stammers, hearing a not-so-concealed snort of laughter from Yixing behind him. Mei’s eyes grow very round.
“Boyfriends?”
“Yes,” Wu Fan says, and there is a sigh of movement as Yixing squats down beside him. Yixing pinches Mei’s cheek lightly, a crooked smile on his face.
“I like your Daddy very much,” he says, eyes twinkling. Wu Fan swallows and feels his face heat up a little at that. Mei’s fingers are curled around Wu Fan’s thumb, squeezing it gently. She seems lost for words for a moment and then her eyes narrow.
“How much?”
Yixing laughs softly and stretches his arms out wide.
“More than I can even reach.”
Mei’s eyes all but disappear beneath her following smile.
“Good,” she says, and then she stands up on the tip of her toes, hands moving to circle Yixing’s neck as she presses a kiss to his cheek. Yixing inhales and his eyes widen, cheeks flushing pink - Wu Fan silently thinks it’s the most adorable thing he has ever seen.
“Are you okay with that Mei?” Wu Fan asks, patting her on the back. Mei nods fiercely, her smile still wide.
“Yes!” she squeals and twirls, dress floating around her. Wu Fan laughs and scoops her into his arms, happiness surging inside him. Mei leans close to his ear and whispers loudly.
“I told you Yixing was part of our family.”
*
Later that night when Mei is asleep and Yixing is straddling Wu Fan on the lounge, Wu Fan presses a kiss against his shoulder nudges it gently with his nose.
“Do you really like me as much as you said?” he asks as Yixing’s fingers dance across his naked chest (his shirt had been thrown off somewhere between Yixing pushing him down and the end of the movie on television.) Yixing hums, smile curving against Wu Fan’s ear. He drags a thumb across Wu Fan’s navel before stuttering kisses across his face, pressing an exceptionally light kiss against his lips.
“No,” he says, voice warm and teasing as it is breathed across Wu Fan’s cheek. Wu Fan scoffs and is about to retort when Yixing kisses him with far more intensity, dragging Wu Fan’s bottom lip between his teeth and sucking on it lightly.
“I like you even more than that,” he whispers and it’s so soft, Wu Fan only just hears it. He gasps and his eyes flutter shut because Yixing chooses that moment to roll his hips forward.
“How much?” Wu Fan breathes and Yixing sighs, flopping on top of Wu Fan unceremoniously before squishing himself between Wu Fan and the back of the lounge, snuggling close with his head on Wu Fan’s chest. He begins to trace circles into Wu Fan’s stomach with his index finger.
“A lot,” he mumbles and Wu Fan rolls his eyes, hand moving up to ruffle Yixing’s hair.
“How much?” he repeats and Yixing seems to shrivel up, legs curling closer to his body and the finger on Wu Fan’s chest pauses, falling flat, splayed out against his skin.
“I love you,” Yixing says, and it seems to fall from his lips easily, as though it had been itching to be spoken. Wu Fan’s heartbeat falters and his breath catches in his throat.
Yixing is still closed in on himself, eyes cast to the other side of the room, away from where Wu Fan might meet them. Wu Fan swallows and the click of his throat is loud in the silence.
“Yixing,” he says, and Yixing finally looks at him, all apprehension and uncertainty. It’s probably miles away from appropriate, but Wu Fan feels a laugh bubble inside him because it’s all just so ridiculous and confusing and somehow utterly perfect.
He turns over sideways so they are both facing each other, legs at an awkward angle in order to fit them both on the lounge cushions. Wu Fan drags one hand up to rest on Yixing’s hips while the other lies curled just above Yixing’s heart.
He leans forward and presses his lips to Yixing’s.
“I love you too,” he murmurs, and he feels Yixing’s heartbeat leap beneath his curled fingers.
*
“Daddy,” Mei says one day as Wu Fan attempts to cook dinner for the first time in a while. Yixing stands beside him nudging him occasionally with an unhelpful smirk and a laugh.
“Hmmm?” Wu Fan says, only half attentive as Yixing slips behind him and warm arms curl around his chest, holding him close. He smiles and Yixing pokes him in the ribs.
“Do you and Yixing love each other?”
Wu Fan flips the meat over in the pan with a nod.
“Of course. I love him very much.”
Yixing lets out a breath and it’s trapped in Wu Fan’s shirt, warming his skin. He turns around to look at Mei, arms still poised on Wu Fan’s hips and fingers linked against his stomach.
“Why are you asking Mei?”
Mei goes quiet. It takes a few moments for Wu Fan to get worried, and he turns around as Yixing moves away. Her markers are all uncapped and the entire page before her is covered in squiggles - some have bled through until the paper has ripped.
“Baby?” Wu Fan asks hesitantly and something in his heart breaks when he sees a tear roll down her cheek and drop onto the paper, smudging the colours where it falls.
He rushes over, cupping her face in his hands as he looks into her eyes. He brushes her tears away quickly and brings her into his lap, sitting on the floor as he rocks her back and forth, her face buried in his shirt and the front of the apron Yixing picked out for him a few days ago.
“What happened baby?
Mei’s body jerks with the force of her sobs and she pushes herself away with her hands pressed into Wu Fan’s shoulder. She rubs at her eyes and sniffles.
“They told me at school that-that two boys can’t love each other and they said that it’s d-d-disgusting.”
Wu Fan pulls her close against him again, shushing her softly.
“Oh Mei, they don’t know what they’re talking about.” He rubs a soothing circle into her back as her tears wet the front of his shirt. He feels Yixing move beside him and looks up to see the latter watching them hesitantly, clearly unsure how to react. Wu Fan raises an eyebrow and tilts his head in Mei’s direction, indicating for Yixing to help.
Yixing drops to the floor immediately and his arms move around Mei from the back, hands reaching so far as to just clench in the material of Wu Fan’s shirt. He exhales and his eyes squeeze shut, and Wu Fan is both amazed and saddened by the pain that shimmers across his features.
“Of course we love each other Mei. We love each other very, very much. So don’t you listen to those silly people at school alright?”
Yixing’s eyes flicker open and Mei looks at him, nodding slowly.
“I know,” she says softly, a sob hiccupping out of her. “But why would they say something so mean?”
Yixing smiles at her gently, thumb pressing against the corner of her lips and pushing them into a smile.
“Because they are scared of what they don’t understand.”
Mei blinks at him and Yixing looks back and Wu Fan feels like something important passes between them in that moment and it just manages to escape his grasp. Mei doesn’t move for a few seconds, and then she leaps at Yixing, her arms winding around his neck.
“I love you too,” she says and Yixing carefully pulls her tight against him, smoothing down her hair as he distracts her with stories of adventures from his childhood until all of her tears have vanished and her face is alight with smiles and laughter once again.
*
“I hope we’re doing the right thing,” Yixing sighs as they walk through the park. Mei has run ahead to pet a puppy that sits on the grass. Their hands swing between them and Wu Fan catches Yixing’s fingers, linking their pinkies together.
“I don’t see how anything could be more right than this,” Wu Fan replies softly, throwing a shy smile in Yixing’s direction. Yixing laughs and moves closer, looping his arm through Wu Fan’s entirely as he leans against Wu Fan’s shoulder.
“That’s true,” he hums, sneakily placing a light kiss against Wu Fan’s cheek. Mei runs back over and tackles their legs with a shout.
“Daddy, Yixing, that puppy was so soft!” she squeals happily. Wu Fan ruffles her hair.
“Is that so baby?”
“When can we get a puppy Daddy?”
Wu Fan snorts.
“Not for a while.”
Mei glares at him and stamps on his foot before prising Yixing and Wu Fan apart, pushing between them.
“Yixing, you’ll let me get one right?” she says, hand curling around Yixing’s palm as the other moves to hold Wu Fan’s hand. Yixing looks at her, amusement dancing on his lips and tumbling in his eyes.
“Maybe,” he says with a smile. Wu Fan narrows his eyes and Mei giggles happily, swinging herself between them.
“Yixing is my favourite,” she sings, her pigtails flying in the air. Wu Fan huffs and lets go of her hand.
“That’s it, I’m going to get you now!” he growls, his eyebrows lowered in faux anger. Mei screams and covers her face with her hands as Wu Fan’s fingers wriggle, tickling her mercilessly. Yixing picks her up, legs propped up over his arm as he elbows Wu Fan in the stomach.
“I’ll save you princess,” he says and Mei clings to him as they run down the path, Mei screeching and giggling all the while, until Wu Fan eventually lures them back with shouts of love and the promise to buy them each an ice cream.
*
AN: I spent most of my time writing this in a squealing mess because daddy!kris (and daddy!fanxing) is literally my new favourite thing. UGH I JUST CAN’T. TOO MUCH FLUFF FOR ME TO HANDLE /melts into goo/ and you can all thank roo again for this one - for linking me the manga and suggesting the idea and as soon as I started, I just could not stop writing. ugh. it was wonderful :3
(also ps. I have decided that if I ever reach 100 watchers on this community, I might take a few requests hehe)