Waiting for a Sign- Kris x Tao - Oneshot
Title: Waiting for a Sign
Chapters: Oneshot
Author: paranoiascreams
Genre: Fluff
Warning: Unbeta'd
Rating: PG
Pairings/Characters: Kris x Tao
Synopsis: Kris asks for agreeable signs before he asks Zitao for a date, and maybe something more.
Disclaimer: EXO is not mine. Story loosely based on this short film. Song used is here. Lyrics here.
"So, Kris... Going home?"
"Huh?"
"I asked, are you going home?" Tao fidgets in front of his classmate, the older shakes his head no, "I'm gonna head to the library. I need to research on something."
"Oh! That's great! Let's go. I have to do a little research on my project too!"
Kris scratches the back of his neck, "Y-you go on ahead, Chanyeol and I are gonna go somewhere first."
Tao juts his lower lip then glances at Kris' bestfriend's table. The lanky boy is obliviously packing his stuff inside his bag, the raven-haired boy turns back to Kris, "Oh. Okay, then... See you." Tao waves him a shy goodbye before exiting the room.
"I'm so stupid!" Kris headdesks and ignores the fact that his head had just collided harder than intended, "Stupid. Why!? Why?!"
Chanyel is standing next to him with his shit-eating grin as always, "Why? Decided to ditch Tao's obvious advances on you?"
Kris groans, "You aren't helping..."
"Dude, that guy obviously likes you and you trying to kill yourself everyday by means of your head meeting your desk leaving it with dents obviously means it isn't onesided." Chanyeol fixes the strap of his backpack on his shoulder, "So what dumbass alibi did you give him this time?"
Kris grunts and stuffs all his books inside his bag ungraciously, "That we're going somewhere."
"Somewhere... Nowhere in specific?"
"Nah."
Chanyeol laughs as they exit the classroom, "You're running out of alibis, and he's heard everything that he just ignores your obvious ways of avoiding spending any alone time with him."
Kris shakes his head, "Look, Chanyeol. Huang Zitao is so adorable, and he's fairly popular. He's got hordes of admirers for sure and I'm just... Me. He wouldn't be interested in someone like me."
"You're pathetic. What are you waiting for? A sign that hangs on his forehead saying, 'Date me.'?"
The blond sighs, "Maybe I am waiting for a sign."
"Like what?"
Kris grins, "Hmn, like Kai finally having the balls to ask Kyungsoo out."
Chanyeol rolls his eyes too far back it hurts, "Kai lacks the balls you lack as well."
They're walking by the campus benches when they hear a familiar voice screams from a distance, "You'll really go out with me?!"
Kris and Chanyeol's eyes widen and they almost trip on their feet when they see Kai holding both Kyungsoo's hands, the shorter boy shyly smiling at their friend.
"There's your sign, Kris."
Kris shakes his head, "That's mere coincidence, Chanyeol. Besides, Kai's been building up his confidence since forever." His bestfriend just rolls his eyes again, "You asked for a sign, and whatever supreme being appointed to give it you just did and you're totally ignoring it."
"Look, if I want to believe in signs, it would have to be the less predictable and almost impossible signs."
Chanyeol grunts, "You're the impossible one." When they reach the gate, his bestfriend squeezes his shoulder, "I'm gonna meet up with Baekhyun, so unless you've accepted divine intervention, I forbid you from whining to me about how stupid you are whenever you reject Tao."
"Some bestfriend you are."
"You've been whining to me for 3 months, okay?" The lanky boy waves him goodbye then just heads to the opposite direction, Kris keeps on walking. He laughs at himself a little. He's 21, a graduating senior majoring in Economics but he feels like a high school kid having a crush on Tao - a freshman taking advanced classes on Philosophy with him and to top it all off, he's waiting for signs telling him it's okay to date the younger boy.
He sighs, "Okay. Something... Unpredictable. An elephant crossing the street." He laughs at himself again, thinking how ridiculous it is. He stops at the red light and vehicles start moving, he gapes at one truck bearing an elephant logo driving past him. "That doesn't count." He tells himself. When all the cars pass and the light goes green, he almost faints on the spot when a little girl crosses the street with her mom, a huge dumbo-shaped balloon tied to her wrist.
Kris shakes his head as he walks faster back to his apartment.
"That can't be right. These are all mere coincidences." He tells himself once he reaches his place. "This is stupid."
He goes to sleep after telling himself that it's just impossible that all the things he's asking for could be happening to him.
-----
Kris wakes up the next day when his phone rings, he begrudgingly reaches for the device and answers it.
'Yo, bitchface! Wake up!
"I am perfectly aware that I have classes later at 4, so why are you waking me up?"
'I'm curious.'
"About what, Chanyeol?"
'Got any signs?'
"NOTHING. Go fuck Baekhyun senseless and leave me alone."
'I'm offended, Kris Wu! I hope you step on a lego!'
"If I do, it's a sign and I'll ask him out before the week ends." Kris tells Chanyeol before ending the call and burying himself back to his pillows.
No matter how much he tosses and turns, sleep does not come back to him. He decides to abandon the thought of going back to dreamland so he jumps off the bed to eat breakfast.
Now, Kris is confident there won't be any lego in his bachelor's pad. He's always walked around his place on his bare feet that's why he doesn't know why when he walked past his front door, he suffers the excruciating pain of stepping on not just one, but 3 lego pieces.
"HOLY MOTHER OF...!" But before he can finish cursing his luck and the three toy pieces, he's cut off by a series of knocks on his door. Kris tries to compose himself before opening it up. "Yes?"
"Uhm, sir... Please don't be mad..." A little boy appearing about 5 years old starts, "My bag of lego fell around here earlier... And I'm missing 3 pieces..."
Kris scrunches his brows, "How would that even..." He asks, more to himself than to the little boy, Kris sighs as he realizes that the pieces must have slid through the small gap between the floor and his door. He picks up the pieces and hands it to the boy, "Be careful next time, alright?"
The boy smiles and thanks Kris before scurrying away from his front door. He fishes out his cellphone and sends a text message to his bestfriend.
To: Chanyeol
'Fucking stepped not on one, but 3 lego pieces. FML.'
To: Bitchface
'Go and ask him out already, jesus christ.'
-----
He comes to the university a little after lunch because he's bored at home and he's gonna go berserk if he steps on another lego. Fortunately, Chanyeol has classes in the morning and they can have late lunch altogether with Baekhyun.
"What the hell do I do?" Kris mourns inside the cafeteria, Baekhyun laughs at his misery. "Dude, Channie's been telling me about this and honestly, what more signs do you need?"
"A food fight." Kris sighs, knowing they're in college and hell if one starts now. He buries himself deeper in his arms when suddenly a loud crash echoes the cafeteria and someone's voice (obviously Chanyeol) yells, "FOOD FIGHT!!!"
Baekhyun claps his hands in amusement as he watches Kris gape at the unfolding event, nevermind the pasta laced with spaghetti sauce landing on their heads.
"You are a miracle, Kris Wu! More signs! This is so interesting!"
"Shut up, Baekhyun. It's creepy than interesting." Kris stands from his seat and leaves the area, he walks out and heads to a comfort room only to come face to face with the person of his longing.
"Oh, Kris. You look awful. What happened?" Tao looks genuinely worried, "Come on, let me clean you up." Kris feels electricity jolt from his wrist when the younger grabs him and drags him inside the restroom. He wonders how in the world that a university with a population with more than a thousand students can have a restroom that leaves him and Tao alone.
Kris stops by the sink while Tao pulls out sheets and sheets of tissue paper, the younger goes in front of him, personal space be damned, and Tao wipes off the spaghetti sauce on his forehead and flicks away the pasta from his hair, "What did you do?"
"Asked for a food fight..."
Tao smiles and Kris just wants to drown in that wonderful sight, "A food fight? Really? That's cute."
"You're cute..."
"What?" Tao stops but doesn't remove his hand off of Kris' hair.
"What?" The blond repeats, Tao clears his throat, "Y-you said something..."
"Did not."
"Oh. Okay." Tao pouts and continues to clean him up, the youngers steps away, Kris inwardly groans for the loss of contact and warmth. "Do you mind if I ask you to remove your shirt?"
"Huh?"
"Your shirt, Kris. Unless you want to go to your class reeking of spaghetti."
"Uh, yeah... Yeah." Kris removes his shirt, Tao turns away immediately and rummages his bag, "Uh, here. You can use my extra shirt. I have gym later, but you can use it while you're here." The younger hands him his shirt without looking at the blond, "I hope it fits you."
Kris puts it on, and he feels like a pervert as he lets the scent linger in his nose, and he thanks the gods that it fits perfectly on him. Tao takes the spaghetti-laden shirt and proceeds to wash it on the sink, "You don't have to do that, Tao!"
Tao shakes his head, "It's okay. I'm used to this, I live alone anyway."
"No roommate?"
"Nah."
Kris feels the awkward silence hang between them, he fidgets as he watches Tao wash his article of clothing very delicately, he opens his mouth but closes it again for the lack of words to say.
"YO, BITCHFACE! You here?!"
And Kris has never been thankful for Chanyeol's arrival. "Oh, there you are! And hi, Tao!"
Baekhyun comes in next, and he grins at Kris meaningfully, "So, you're Tao?"
Tao drops the shirt on the sink and wipes his hands on the sides of his pants, "Uh, yes. How do you know me?"
"I'm Chanyeol's wonderful boyfriend! And I was surprised we've only met! I mean, with the way Kris..."
"Okay! Okay, that's enough now." Kris pushes Chanyeol and Baekhyun out, "Uhm, Tao, I'll see you later for the shirt."
"Alright..." Tao waves at him shyly again then finishes cleaning Kris' shirt.
-----
"Did you ask him out? Come on, Kris! You were fucking alone there!" Chanyeol prods him, bits of food falling from his hair.
"No. Who asks dates inside restrooms?"
"Excuses, excuses!" Baekhyun pipes in, "Kris. You, him. You even changed shirts!"
"It didn't come up, okay? So, no date."
"What? You gonna ask for another divine intervention? You ask too many and eventually, whoever is up there will get tired giving it to you. And Tao won't wait forever." Baekhyun grunts, a bit disappointed with the low self esteem of their friend.
"I really have no idea why I can't ask him out on a date. It's like... All my confidence vanishes into thin air when he's close to me." Kris groans, Chanyeol ruffles his hair, "Alright, let's make a deal. Just 3 more signs until tomorrow, okay? If even one doesn't come true, we'll forget the whole deal with Huang Zitao, then we can all stop torturing ourselves with your self-imposed misery."
"Alright. Three it is." Kris agrees. Baekhyun bats his eyelashes at the blond, "Ask one now. I wanna bear witness again!"
Kris looks at the road, it's as dry as it can be. The campus has very few cars driving past as they make their way to the building, he sighs, a playful smirk draws from his lips, "You will get hit by water from a moving vehicle, Baekhyun."
The shortest rolls his eyes, "It might not work because you're asking it to happen to me!"
"Fine. I will get hit by water from a moving vehicle." Kris huffs, he puts his hands on his pockets and continues to walk. No cars in sight, so the three of them just walks on. They're nearing their building and nothing's happening, Chanyeol sighs, "Sorry, bro. Looks like it ain't gonna be given to you now."
Kris shrugs, at least the pressure off his shoulders and he can just continue to torture just himself by looking at Tao from a distance without dragging his friends along with him.
"WATCH OUT!!!"
Before Kris can even react, a skateboarder crashes onto him, causing him and the other guy to tumble over to the ground. He feels something wet trickle from his shoulder to his chest, and he prays to god that he isn't bleeding because this is Tao's branded shirt.
"Dude, I'm so sorry!" The other guy pushes himself up, then pulls Kris as well. "It's just water, I'm so sorry! I kinda lost my balance when I tried to drink while I'm still moving."
"It's okay, man." Kris says absent-mindedly, the other guy salutes him then skates away, Baekhyun and Chanyeol (who were able to move from the onslaught) just stare at him wide-eyed.
"I have no idea what to say..." Chanyeol tells Kris, the blond shakes his head in amusement, "Me too..."
"Let's just... Head to class." Baekhyun tries to salvage their momentary mental breakdown and pulls the two tall guys with him to their shared class in World Literature.
-----
It's 9 in the evening and the three of them are having their late night dinner just outside the campus, "Aren't you still believing in this divine intervention, Kris?"
"I want to believe, but I'm a little scared."
Chanyeol pouts then crosses his arms across his chest, "Scared of what?"
"That... Couldn't this mean, we're like... Meant to be?"
"Don't you want to?"
"We're gonna be forever."
"Don't you want to?"
Kris groans, "I can't even have the courage to ask him out, and the fear that this guy could be the love of my life scares the hell out of me and I'm on the verge of letting him slip away because I'm still taking chances!"
"You coward." Baekhyun comments, "Then again, he might not be the love of your life after all."
"What do you mean?"
Chanyeol looks at where his boyfriend is looking, "Tao. 3 o' clock."
Kris turns and finds Tao talking to and hitting the arm of another boy as they enter the quaint diner. It hits the blond that Baekhyun's right, Tao won't wait forever for him and hey, that kinda sucks because, fuck. That short guy has nothing against Kris (as he tells himself) and just by the height difference, Tao won't even be able to cuddle comfortably with him.
'Give me a sign, oh mighty one. Please. He is not Tao's boyfriend.' he chants on his head over and over as Tao and the stranger nears them.
"I'm telling mom on you, Yixing-ge! I swear, I'm telling mom!"
"HELL YES! I'M 90% A BELIEVER!" Kris exclaims, rather exaggerately that he stands and slams his fist on the table, causing the couple across him to jerk up as well and Tao and his older brother to look at him and his embarrassment.
"Uhm, hi Kris?" Tao says awkwardly and the blond just feels like turning into stone and then break into dust. "Hi, Tao! Uhm. Hi."
"Ahhh! So this is Kris, Taotao?" Tao's companion smirks, Tao's eyes turn wide then grabs his brother by the wrist, "This is my stupid older brother, Yixing. I'll see you tomorrow, bye." And without saying anything more the siblings walk away from their table. Kris sits down, the couple are already seated again, judging him hard.
"90%?" Baekhyun asks with a raised brow, Kris shrugs, "I still have one more, right? And it's make or break."
Chanyeol squints his eyes at him, "One more?"
"I asked for a sign that the guy he's with is not his lover."
"What about your stupid fear?"
Kris smiles, "Fuck that fear, Baekhyun. The potential love of my life is just 5 tables away."
And maybe Tao looks at him from his table and it makes Kris' heart beat faster than it ever should.
-----
Kris wakes up with the most excruciating headache and his body is heating up as if he's just stepped out of a sauna. "What the hell happened to me...?!" He asks himself as he tries to remember if he did something yesterday to cause him to be obviously bound to his bed today. With a bit of strength left, he grabs his phone from his bedside table and sends Chanyeol a message.
To: Chanyeol
'Sick like fuck. I'm in misery! Won't be coming to class!'
A few seconds later, his phone vibrates and he reads his bestfriend's reply.
To: Bitchface
'But what about the last sign? You only gave yourself until today!'
To: Chanyeol
'Signs be damned. I'm more worried about staying alive.'
Kris returns his phone back to the table and shuts his eyes, 'If there's an almighty one fixing my fucked up lovelife, I give you freedom to show me the ultimate sign that Zitao and I should hook up.' He knows it's quite impossible now since he's gonna be absent, so he just goes back to sleep and ignores the incoming message from his phone.
Kris wakes up a few hours later feeling better, he blinks continuously as he feels a damp towel on his forehead, 'I don't remember doing this...' He sits up and almost screams when he finds Tao sleeping on his bedside, his head buried on his arms next to him while the rest of his body is slumped on the floor.
"Tao?!"
The younger boy jerks and stands, "Oh. You're awake."
"What are you doing here?"
Tao scratches the back of his neck, "Well, you were absent and I wanted to return your shirt... I was gonna tape it on your door, but it jerked open... So I let myself in." The younger bows his head, "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to intrude and then I saw you, and you were shivering and you really have a high fever. OH! Fever! Wait!" Tao suddenly runs out and then returns to him, thrusting a thermometer in his mouth, "I checked your temperature earlier and you're at 40•C."
Kris just nods as he takes the information, Tao looks around the room except at Kris, then decides that the floor is the most interesting thing at the moment, "I couldn't just leave you alone knowing that you're sick... I'm so sorry."
The blond shakes his head and dumbly gives a thumbs up to say that he's okay, Tao sighs in relief and casually sits on the bed beside him, "Let me." The younger takes the thermometer and a relieved smile plays on his lips, "Your fever broke... Thank goodness." Tao looks at him, and Kris swears his world is moving in slow motion not because his head's still spinning a little since he's sick, the early afternoon's sun seem to have stopped spinning and just decided to focus its rays on Tao, illuminating the younger boy in a beautiful glow next to him. "How do you feel now, Kris?"
"Better. So much better."
"Wait here, okay? I also prepared you something to eat."
Kris shakes his head, "I think I can walk. You've done so much for me today."
Tao bites his lower lip and Kris fights the urge to lunge at him and just kiss him senseless because damn it Huang Zitao, why so adorable?
"It's nothing, Kris. Come on then."
Tao stands and leaves, Kris takes his phone and opens some of the messages as he walks out the door. The last one he reads is a message from Chanyeol that he ignored when he went back to sleep.
To: Bitchface
'I'll send someone to make sure you're alive.'
Kris feels disappointed a little, because obviously Tao being here isn't divine intervention, but derp intervention. He notes that Chanyeol is dead when he sees him tomorrow. "Hey, Tao..." Tao turns on his heel and looks at Kris, "Did Chanyeol..." But he doesn't finish his question when someone knocks on the door, Tao just watches as the blond opens his door, "Yo, bitchface! Baekhyun couldn't come earlier, and my classes just ended so I couldn't get someone to check on you earlier. But... you don't look sick!"
"You didn't send him here?" Kris whispers to his bestfriend, Chanyeol scrunches his brow, "Send who here?" His bestfriend looks over his shoulder and finds Tao behind Kris, "Oh." Chanyeol awkwardly waves at the younger boy, Tao nods then turns to the kitchen to prepare Kris' food.
"I didn't. I wouldn't want to get in the way of the holy mighty one by sending Tao directly here by my command. I'm a mere mortal!"
"Woah..."
Chanyeol pats his shoulder, "This is more than a sign that you needed, Kris. Don't let this pass you by. I'm leaving, I'm sure Tao can take better care of you."
Kris closes the door after Chanyeol leaves, when Tao hears the door close, he walks back to the living room, "Oh. He left?"
"Yeah. Something urgent came up."
"I see. Well then, come on. You should eat."
Kris sits on the chair and finds hot soup on the table, Tao sits across him as he peels oranges, "I'm not really a good cook, but I tried copying what my mama used to make whenever I'm sick..."
"Did you buy the ingredients? And the fruits?"
Tao nods, "But don't mind me."
"Thank you." Kris tells the younger then proceeds on drinking the soup. He steals glances on Tao then he realizes that the raven haired boy is wearing a hat with a series of six small numbers sewn on the side, "Tao... Just curious, what are those numbers on your hat?"
Tao stops peeling the oranges and just hides his face behind his hand in embarrassment, "I really have a bad hair day and this is the only hat I could find. My grandmother gave this to me three years ago. The numbers are my birthdate."
Kris gapes and just stares at Tao.
'My birthdate. My = Me. Birthdate = Date. Me. Date. Date me.'
"Kris, are you okay? Is something wrong?"
Kris shakes his head then breathes in and out, "Say, Tao...?"
"Hmn?"
"Would you like to go out to dinner with me?"
"Is this some kind of payback for today?" Tao seems a little disappointed and it doesn't escape Kris.
"No. Not like that, Tao."
"Then, like what?" Tao looks up to meet Kris' gaze, the blond smiles, "Like a date. I'm asking you out on a date with me, Tao."
"A-are you... Really? You're actually asking me out?" Tao smiles wider, and Kris' heart is running a mile a minute that the only response he can give the younger is a nod and short, "Uh-huh."
"I thought you'd never ask!"
"So, is that a yes?"
"Yes. A hundred times yes."
-----
'Say, Tao...?'
'Hmn?'
'Would you like to spend forever with me?'
'Is this some kind of payback for the three years I've spent with you?'
'No. Not like that, Tao.'
'Then, like what?'
'Like marriage. I'm asking you to spend the rest of your life with me, Tao.'
'A-are you... Really? You're actually asking me to marry you?'
'Uh-huh.'
'I thought you'd never ask!'
'So, is that a yes?'
'Yes. A million times yes.'
--------------------
Author's Notes: This is part of the songfic challenge i have given myself called "They're Playing our Song" and i would be writing more EXO pairs with different songs for inspiration.
Chapters: Oneshot
Author: paranoiascreams
Genre: Fluff
Warning: Unbeta'd
Rating: PG
Pairings/Characters: Kris x Tao
Synopsis: Kris asks for agreeable signs before he asks Zitao for a date, and maybe something more.
Disclaimer: EXO is not mine. Story loosely based on this short film. Song used is here. Lyrics here.
"So, Kris... Going home?"
"Huh?"
"I asked, are you going home?" Tao fidgets in front of his classmate, the older shakes his head no, "I'm gonna head to the library. I need to research on something."
"Oh! That's great! Let's go. I have to do a little research on my project too!"
Kris scratches the back of his neck, "Y-you go on ahead, Chanyeol and I are gonna go somewhere first."
Tao juts his lower lip then glances at Kris' bestfriend's table. The lanky boy is obliviously packing his stuff inside his bag, the raven-haired boy turns back to Kris, "Oh. Okay, then... See you." Tao waves him a shy goodbye before exiting the room.
"I'm so stupid!" Kris headdesks and ignores the fact that his head had just collided harder than intended, "Stupid. Why!? Why?!"
Chanyel is standing next to him with his shit-eating grin as always, "Why? Decided to ditch Tao's obvious advances on you?"
Kris groans, "You aren't helping..."
"Dude, that guy obviously likes you and you trying to kill yourself everyday by means of your head meeting your desk leaving it with dents obviously means it isn't onesided." Chanyeol fixes the strap of his backpack on his shoulder, "So what dumbass alibi did you give him this time?"
Kris grunts and stuffs all his books inside his bag ungraciously, "That we're going somewhere."
"Somewhere... Nowhere in specific?"
"Nah."
Chanyeol laughs as they exit the classroom, "You're running out of alibis, and he's heard everything that he just ignores your obvious ways of avoiding spending any alone time with him."
Kris shakes his head, "Look, Chanyeol. Huang Zitao is so adorable, and he's fairly popular. He's got hordes of admirers for sure and I'm just... Me. He wouldn't be interested in someone like me."
"You're pathetic. What are you waiting for? A sign that hangs on his forehead saying, 'Date me.'?"
The blond sighs, "Maybe I am waiting for a sign."
"Like what?"
Kris grins, "Hmn, like Kai finally having the balls to ask Kyungsoo out."
Chanyeol rolls his eyes too far back it hurts, "Kai lacks the balls you lack as well."
They're walking by the campus benches when they hear a familiar voice screams from a distance, "You'll really go out with me?!"
Kris and Chanyeol's eyes widen and they almost trip on their feet when they see Kai holding both Kyungsoo's hands, the shorter boy shyly smiling at their friend.
"There's your sign, Kris."
Kris shakes his head, "That's mere coincidence, Chanyeol. Besides, Kai's been building up his confidence since forever." His bestfriend just rolls his eyes again, "You asked for a sign, and whatever supreme being appointed to give it you just did and you're totally ignoring it."
"Look, if I want to believe in signs, it would have to be the less predictable and almost impossible signs."
Chanyeol grunts, "You're the impossible one." When they reach the gate, his bestfriend squeezes his shoulder, "I'm gonna meet up with Baekhyun, so unless you've accepted divine intervention, I forbid you from whining to me about how stupid you are whenever you reject Tao."
"Some bestfriend you are."
"You've been whining to me for 3 months, okay?" The lanky boy waves him goodbye then just heads to the opposite direction, Kris keeps on walking. He laughs at himself a little. He's 21, a graduating senior majoring in Economics but he feels like a high school kid having a crush on Tao - a freshman taking advanced classes on Philosophy with him and to top it all off, he's waiting for signs telling him it's okay to date the younger boy.
He sighs, "Okay. Something... Unpredictable. An elephant crossing the street." He laughs at himself again, thinking how ridiculous it is. He stops at the red light and vehicles start moving, he gapes at one truck bearing an elephant logo driving past him. "That doesn't count." He tells himself. When all the cars pass and the light goes green, he almost faints on the spot when a little girl crosses the street with her mom, a huge dumbo-shaped balloon tied to her wrist.
Kris shakes his head as he walks faster back to his apartment.
"That can't be right. These are all mere coincidences." He tells himself once he reaches his place. "This is stupid."
He goes to sleep after telling himself that it's just impossible that all the things he's asking for could be happening to him.
-----
Kris wakes up the next day when his phone rings, he begrudgingly reaches for the device and answers it.
'Yo, bitchface! Wake up!
"I am perfectly aware that I have classes later at 4, so why are you waking me up?"
'I'm curious.'
"About what, Chanyeol?"
'Got any signs?'
"NOTHING. Go fuck Baekhyun senseless and leave me alone."
'I'm offended, Kris Wu! I hope you step on a lego!'
"If I do, it's a sign and I'll ask him out before the week ends." Kris tells Chanyeol before ending the call and burying himself back to his pillows.
No matter how much he tosses and turns, sleep does not come back to him. He decides to abandon the thought of going back to dreamland so he jumps off the bed to eat breakfast.
Now, Kris is confident there won't be any lego in his bachelor's pad. He's always walked around his place on his bare feet that's why he doesn't know why when he walked past his front door, he suffers the excruciating pain of stepping on not just one, but 3 lego pieces.
"HOLY MOTHER OF...!" But before he can finish cursing his luck and the three toy pieces, he's cut off by a series of knocks on his door. Kris tries to compose himself before opening it up. "Yes?"
"Uhm, sir... Please don't be mad..." A little boy appearing about 5 years old starts, "My bag of lego fell around here earlier... And I'm missing 3 pieces..."
Kris scrunches his brows, "How would that even..." He asks, more to himself than to the little boy, Kris sighs as he realizes that the pieces must have slid through the small gap between the floor and his door. He picks up the pieces and hands it to the boy, "Be careful next time, alright?"
The boy smiles and thanks Kris before scurrying away from his front door. He fishes out his cellphone and sends a text message to his bestfriend.
To: Chanyeol
'Fucking stepped not on one, but 3 lego pieces. FML.'
To: Bitchface
'Go and ask him out already, jesus christ.'
-----
He comes to the university a little after lunch because he's bored at home and he's gonna go berserk if he steps on another lego. Fortunately, Chanyeol has classes in the morning and they can have late lunch altogether with Baekhyun.
"What the hell do I do?" Kris mourns inside the cafeteria, Baekhyun laughs at his misery. "Dude, Channie's been telling me about this and honestly, what more signs do you need?"
"A food fight." Kris sighs, knowing they're in college and hell if one starts now. He buries himself deeper in his arms when suddenly a loud crash echoes the cafeteria and someone's voice (obviously Chanyeol) yells, "FOOD FIGHT!!!"
Baekhyun claps his hands in amusement as he watches Kris gape at the unfolding event, nevermind the pasta laced with spaghetti sauce landing on their heads.
"You are a miracle, Kris Wu! More signs! This is so interesting!"
"Shut up, Baekhyun. It's creepy than interesting." Kris stands from his seat and leaves the area, he walks out and heads to a comfort room only to come face to face with the person of his longing.
"Oh, Kris. You look awful. What happened?" Tao looks genuinely worried, "Come on, let me clean you up." Kris feels electricity jolt from his wrist when the younger grabs him and drags him inside the restroom. He wonders how in the world that a university with a population with more than a thousand students can have a restroom that leaves him and Tao alone.
Kris stops by the sink while Tao pulls out sheets and sheets of tissue paper, the younger goes in front of him, personal space be damned, and Tao wipes off the spaghetti sauce on his forehead and flicks away the pasta from his hair, "What did you do?"
"Asked for a food fight..."
Tao smiles and Kris just wants to drown in that wonderful sight, "A food fight? Really? That's cute."
"You're cute..."
"What?" Tao stops but doesn't remove his hand off of Kris' hair.
"What?" The blond repeats, Tao clears his throat, "Y-you said something..."
"Did not."
"Oh. Okay." Tao pouts and continues to clean him up, the youngers steps away, Kris inwardly groans for the loss of contact and warmth. "Do you mind if I ask you to remove your shirt?"
"Huh?"
"Your shirt, Kris. Unless you want to go to your class reeking of spaghetti."
"Uh, yeah... Yeah." Kris removes his shirt, Tao turns away immediately and rummages his bag, "Uh, here. You can use my extra shirt. I have gym later, but you can use it while you're here." The younger hands him his shirt without looking at the blond, "I hope it fits you."
Kris puts it on, and he feels like a pervert as he lets the scent linger in his nose, and he thanks the gods that it fits perfectly on him. Tao takes the spaghetti-laden shirt and proceeds to wash it on the sink, "You don't have to do that, Tao!"
Tao shakes his head, "It's okay. I'm used to this, I live alone anyway."
"No roommate?"
"Nah."
Kris feels the awkward silence hang between them, he fidgets as he watches Tao wash his article of clothing very delicately, he opens his mouth but closes it again for the lack of words to say.
"YO, BITCHFACE! You here?!"
And Kris has never been thankful for Chanyeol's arrival. "Oh, there you are! And hi, Tao!"
Baekhyun comes in next, and he grins at Kris meaningfully, "So, you're Tao?"
Tao drops the shirt on the sink and wipes his hands on the sides of his pants, "Uh, yes. How do you know me?"
"I'm Chanyeol's wonderful boyfriend! And I was surprised we've only met! I mean, with the way Kris..."
"Okay! Okay, that's enough now." Kris pushes Chanyeol and Baekhyun out, "Uhm, Tao, I'll see you later for the shirt."
"Alright..." Tao waves at him shyly again then finishes cleaning Kris' shirt.
-----
"Did you ask him out? Come on, Kris! You were fucking alone there!" Chanyeol prods him, bits of food falling from his hair.
"No. Who asks dates inside restrooms?"
"Excuses, excuses!" Baekhyun pipes in, "Kris. You, him. You even changed shirts!"
"It didn't come up, okay? So, no date."
"What? You gonna ask for another divine intervention? You ask too many and eventually, whoever is up there will get tired giving it to you. And Tao won't wait forever." Baekhyun grunts, a bit disappointed with the low self esteem of their friend.
"I really have no idea why I can't ask him out on a date. It's like... All my confidence vanishes into thin air when he's close to me." Kris groans, Chanyeol ruffles his hair, "Alright, let's make a deal. Just 3 more signs until tomorrow, okay? If even one doesn't come true, we'll forget the whole deal with Huang Zitao, then we can all stop torturing ourselves with your self-imposed misery."
"Alright. Three it is." Kris agrees. Baekhyun bats his eyelashes at the blond, "Ask one now. I wanna bear witness again!"
Kris looks at the road, it's as dry as it can be. The campus has very few cars driving past as they make their way to the building, he sighs, a playful smirk draws from his lips, "You will get hit by water from a moving vehicle, Baekhyun."
The shortest rolls his eyes, "It might not work because you're asking it to happen to me!"
"Fine. I will get hit by water from a moving vehicle." Kris huffs, he puts his hands on his pockets and continues to walk. No cars in sight, so the three of them just walks on. They're nearing their building and nothing's happening, Chanyeol sighs, "Sorry, bro. Looks like it ain't gonna be given to you now."
Kris shrugs, at least the pressure off his shoulders and he can just continue to torture just himself by looking at Tao from a distance without dragging his friends along with him.
"WATCH OUT!!!"
Before Kris can even react, a skateboarder crashes onto him, causing him and the other guy to tumble over to the ground. He feels something wet trickle from his shoulder to his chest, and he prays to god that he isn't bleeding because this is Tao's branded shirt.
"Dude, I'm so sorry!" The other guy pushes himself up, then pulls Kris as well. "It's just water, I'm so sorry! I kinda lost my balance when I tried to drink while I'm still moving."
"It's okay, man." Kris says absent-mindedly, the other guy salutes him then skates away, Baekhyun and Chanyeol (who were able to move from the onslaught) just stare at him wide-eyed.
"I have no idea what to say..." Chanyeol tells Kris, the blond shakes his head in amusement, "Me too..."
"Let's just... Head to class." Baekhyun tries to salvage their momentary mental breakdown and pulls the two tall guys with him to their shared class in World Literature.
-----
It's 9 in the evening and the three of them are having their late night dinner just outside the campus, "Aren't you still believing in this divine intervention, Kris?"
"I want to believe, but I'm a little scared."
Chanyeol pouts then crosses his arms across his chest, "Scared of what?"
"That... Couldn't this mean, we're like... Meant to be?"
"Don't you want to?"
"We're gonna be forever."
"Don't you want to?"
Kris groans, "I can't even have the courage to ask him out, and the fear that this guy could be the love of my life scares the hell out of me and I'm on the verge of letting him slip away because I'm still taking chances!"
"You coward." Baekhyun comments, "Then again, he might not be the love of your life after all."
"What do you mean?"
Chanyeol looks at where his boyfriend is looking, "Tao. 3 o' clock."
Kris turns and finds Tao talking to and hitting the arm of another boy as they enter the quaint diner. It hits the blond that Baekhyun's right, Tao won't wait forever for him and hey, that kinda sucks because, fuck. That short guy has nothing against Kris (as he tells himself) and just by the height difference, Tao won't even be able to cuddle comfortably with him.
'Give me a sign, oh mighty one. Please. He is not Tao's boyfriend.' he chants on his head over and over as Tao and the stranger nears them.
"I'm telling mom on you, Yixing-ge! I swear, I'm telling mom!"
"HELL YES! I'M 90% A BELIEVER!" Kris exclaims, rather exaggerately that he stands and slams his fist on the table, causing the couple across him to jerk up as well and Tao and his older brother to look at him and his embarrassment.
"Uhm, hi Kris?" Tao says awkwardly and the blond just feels like turning into stone and then break into dust. "Hi, Tao! Uhm. Hi."
"Ahhh! So this is Kris, Taotao?" Tao's companion smirks, Tao's eyes turn wide then grabs his brother by the wrist, "This is my stupid older brother, Yixing. I'll see you tomorrow, bye." And without saying anything more the siblings walk away from their table. Kris sits down, the couple are already seated again, judging him hard.
"90%?" Baekhyun asks with a raised brow, Kris shrugs, "I still have one more, right? And it's make or break."
Chanyeol squints his eyes at him, "One more?"
"I asked for a sign that the guy he's with is not his lover."
"What about your stupid fear?"
Kris smiles, "Fuck that fear, Baekhyun. The potential love of my life is just 5 tables away."
And maybe Tao looks at him from his table and it makes Kris' heart beat faster than it ever should.
-----
Kris wakes up with the most excruciating headache and his body is heating up as if he's just stepped out of a sauna. "What the hell happened to me...?!" He asks himself as he tries to remember if he did something yesterday to cause him to be obviously bound to his bed today. With a bit of strength left, he grabs his phone from his bedside table and sends Chanyeol a message.
To: Chanyeol
'Sick like fuck. I'm in misery! Won't be coming to class!'
A few seconds later, his phone vibrates and he reads his bestfriend's reply.
To: Bitchface
'But what about the last sign? You only gave yourself until today!'
To: Chanyeol
'Signs be damned. I'm more worried about staying alive.'
Kris returns his phone back to the table and shuts his eyes, 'If there's an almighty one fixing my fucked up lovelife, I give you freedom to show me the ultimate sign that Zitao and I should hook up.' He knows it's quite impossible now since he's gonna be absent, so he just goes back to sleep and ignores the incoming message from his phone.
Kris wakes up a few hours later feeling better, he blinks continuously as he feels a damp towel on his forehead, 'I don't remember doing this...' He sits up and almost screams when he finds Tao sleeping on his bedside, his head buried on his arms next to him while the rest of his body is slumped on the floor.
"Tao?!"
The younger boy jerks and stands, "Oh. You're awake."
"What are you doing here?"
Tao scratches the back of his neck, "Well, you were absent and I wanted to return your shirt... I was gonna tape it on your door, but it jerked open... So I let myself in." The younger bows his head, "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to intrude and then I saw you, and you were shivering and you really have a high fever. OH! Fever! Wait!" Tao suddenly runs out and then returns to him, thrusting a thermometer in his mouth, "I checked your temperature earlier and you're at 40•C."
Kris just nods as he takes the information, Tao looks around the room except at Kris, then decides that the floor is the most interesting thing at the moment, "I couldn't just leave you alone knowing that you're sick... I'm so sorry."
The blond shakes his head and dumbly gives a thumbs up to say that he's okay, Tao sighs in relief and casually sits on the bed beside him, "Let me." The younger takes the thermometer and a relieved smile plays on his lips, "Your fever broke... Thank goodness." Tao looks at him, and Kris swears his world is moving in slow motion not because his head's still spinning a little since he's sick, the early afternoon's sun seem to have stopped spinning and just decided to focus its rays on Tao, illuminating the younger boy in a beautiful glow next to him. "How do you feel now, Kris?"
"Better. So much better."
"Wait here, okay? I also prepared you something to eat."
Kris shakes his head, "I think I can walk. You've done so much for me today."
Tao bites his lower lip and Kris fights the urge to lunge at him and just kiss him senseless because damn it Huang Zitao, why so adorable?
"It's nothing, Kris. Come on then."
Tao stands and leaves, Kris takes his phone and opens some of the messages as he walks out the door. The last one he reads is a message from Chanyeol that he ignored when he went back to sleep.
To: Bitchface
'I'll send someone to make sure you're alive.'
Kris feels disappointed a little, because obviously Tao being here isn't divine intervention, but derp intervention. He notes that Chanyeol is dead when he sees him tomorrow. "Hey, Tao..." Tao turns on his heel and looks at Kris, "Did Chanyeol..." But he doesn't finish his question when someone knocks on the door, Tao just watches as the blond opens his door, "Yo, bitchface! Baekhyun couldn't come earlier, and my classes just ended so I couldn't get someone to check on you earlier. But... you don't look sick!"
"You didn't send him here?" Kris whispers to his bestfriend, Chanyeol scrunches his brow, "Send who here?" His bestfriend looks over his shoulder and finds Tao behind Kris, "Oh." Chanyeol awkwardly waves at the younger boy, Tao nods then turns to the kitchen to prepare Kris' food.
"I didn't. I wouldn't want to get in the way of the holy mighty one by sending Tao directly here by my command. I'm a mere mortal!"
"Woah..."
Chanyeol pats his shoulder, "This is more than a sign that you needed, Kris. Don't let this pass you by. I'm leaving, I'm sure Tao can take better care of you."
Kris closes the door after Chanyeol leaves, when Tao hears the door close, he walks back to the living room, "Oh. He left?"
"Yeah. Something urgent came up."
"I see. Well then, come on. You should eat."
Kris sits on the chair and finds hot soup on the table, Tao sits across him as he peels oranges, "I'm not really a good cook, but I tried copying what my mama used to make whenever I'm sick..."
"Did you buy the ingredients? And the fruits?"
Tao nods, "But don't mind me."
"Thank you." Kris tells the younger then proceeds on drinking the soup. He steals glances on Tao then he realizes that the raven haired boy is wearing a hat with a series of six small numbers sewn on the side, "Tao... Just curious, what are those numbers on your hat?"
Tao stops peeling the oranges and just hides his face behind his hand in embarrassment, "I really have a bad hair day and this is the only hat I could find. My grandmother gave this to me three years ago. The numbers are my birthdate."
Kris gapes and just stares at Tao.
'My birthdate. My = Me. Birthdate = Date. Me. Date. Date me.'
"Kris, are you okay? Is something wrong?"
Kris shakes his head then breathes in and out, "Say, Tao...?"
"Hmn?"
"Would you like to go out to dinner with me?"
"Is this some kind of payback for today?" Tao seems a little disappointed and it doesn't escape Kris.
"No. Not like that, Tao."
"Then, like what?" Tao looks up to meet Kris' gaze, the blond smiles, "Like a date. I'm asking you out on a date with me, Tao."
"A-are you... Really? You're actually asking me out?" Tao smiles wider, and Kris' heart is running a mile a minute that the only response he can give the younger is a nod and short, "Uh-huh."
"I thought you'd never ask!"
"So, is that a yes?"
"Yes. A hundred times yes."
-----
'Say, Tao...?'
'Hmn?'
'Would you like to spend forever with me?'
'Is this some kind of payback for the three years I've spent with you?'
'No. Not like that, Tao.'
'Then, like what?'
'Like marriage. I'm asking you to spend the rest of your life with me, Tao.'
'A-are you... Really? You're actually asking me to marry you?'
'Uh-huh.'
'I thought you'd never ask!'
'So, is that a yes?'
'Yes. A million times yes.'
--------------------
Author's Notes: This is part of the songfic challenge i have given myself called "They're Playing our Song" and i would be writing more EXO pairs with different songs for inspiration.