k-pop; not alone
Title: Not Alone
Pairing: Wu Fan/Yixing
Rating: PG-13
Summary: domestic!au verse. Wu Fan expects to enjoy a simple Sunday with Yixing, but ends up with something a little heavier on his mind.
Author’s Note: 4331 words. I was inspired by this prompt and it somehow turned into this, I have no idea. I started this aaaages ago so I’m glad I finally finished it. I’ve been meaning to write more for this verse for a long time. I’ve missed fanxing ;~; I hope you enjoy! :3
Wu Fan stirs from the depths of slumber as light suddenly pours into the room, cascading bright behind his eyelids. He groans, turning away from the source, and he hears what is undoubtedly Yixing’s soft laughter. The bed dips as Yixing seems to climb back under the blankets and Wu Fan resigns himself to waking up earlier than usual when Yixing’s arms wrap around his waist and his lips press against the nape of his neck.
“Hey,” he says. “Are you awake?”
“I am now,” Wu Fan mutters, voice still groggy with sleep. “It’s Sunday. Go back to sleep, Yixing.”
“Nah, stay awake with me,” Yixing says, and he tugs at Wu Fan’s waist until Wu Fan complies and turns back around. “You’ve been working a lot of weekends lately, this is our first day off together in long time.” He pouts. “Don’t waste it sleeping.”
Wu Fan hums thoughtfully, slides a hand up Yixing’s back. He does have a good point. While Wu Fan would definitely enjoy getting a few more hours of sleep to make up for what little he’s gotten the past few weeks, he thinks spending the morning just lazing around with Yixing would be just as satisfying, if not more so.
“All right,” he says, finally. “You’re gonna have to keep me awake, then. Or else I’ll just fall back asleep.” He rolls his head around a bit, trying to work away the pain in his neck from sleep, as Yixing laughs and skates his fingertips across Wu Fan’s hip.
“I’m sure I can find think of something,” Yixing says, presses a kiss to the corner of Wu Fan’s mouth. Wu Fan exhales deeply, turns his face just slightly to catch Yixing’s lips and the kiss is short and sweet, just enough to wake Wu Fan up fully. He slips his hand into Yixing’s hair, knotted a little from sleep, and Yixing whines into his mouth as he tugs a bit too hard.
“Sorry,” he murmurs, but Yixing shakes his head and scoots over so he can lie on his back, rest his head against Wu Fan’s bare shoulder. “What time is it anyway?”
“I’m not sure,” Yixing replies. “Does it matter?”
Instead of answering, Wu Fan just reaches over to the bedside table and grabs the first phone he touches. It’s Yixing’s instead of his own, and he laughs at the picture of Yixing and their friend Lu Han making weird faces that’s set as his wallpaper. “Cute,” he comments and Yixing just smiles against his skin. It’s not quite nine in the morning and Wu Fan laments, exaggeratedly, “All the hours of sleep I could have had.”
Yixing punches him in the side and he laughs. “You have messages,” he tells him, and Yixing peers over to look at the screen more clearly, so Wu Fan checks them for him.
“Ah, dinner with Zitao tomorrow?” he relates to Yixing who perks up and nods excitedly.
“I haven’t seen him in weeks!” he says and Wu Fan smiles widely, types up a reply for Yixing and sends it off.
“Me either,” Wu Fan says. “If I’m not too busy tomorrow, maybe I can meet you guys for dinner somewhere near the hospital?”
“That’d be nice,” Yixing says, tucking his right arm around Wu Fan’s left and slowly kissing up his neck. “When was the last time we had dinner together?”
Wu Fan groans. “Don’t remind me.” He really doesn’t want to think about how many hours he’s put into work lately. It’s always busy working at a hospital, but they’ve been understaffed recently and Wu Fan’s been helping out however he can. He’s hoping everything will return to normal within the coming week.
He pushes those thoughts away for now though because it’s his day off and he definitely doesn’t want to spend it thinking about work, and checks Yixing’s other messages for him. Yixing’s terrible at checking his phone in a timely fashion and even worse at replying to messages. If Wu Fan hadn’t answered Zitao’s text, Yixing probably never would have. There’s a conversation there with his friend Kyungsoo who teaches at the university with him, and something from Lu Han that makes Wu Fan’s brow raise.
“A surprise party? For who?” he questions Yixing, and Yixing’s eyes grow wide and he snatches his phone away, glancing down at the screen quickly before hiding his phone under the covers.
“Nothing!” he exclaims, his actions incredibly suspicious and Wu Fan narrows his eyes for a second, considering, and then lunges. Yixing shrieks but manages to keep Wu Fan from grabbing his phone away from him, successfully pinning Wu Fan back onto the bed and straddling his waist to keep him from moving. “Seriously, Wu Fan. It’s nothing important,” he pants, chest heaving under his tank top that’s gotten stretched out a bit from their tussle, low collar showing off too much skin and one sleeve hanging over his shoulder.
Wu Fan presses his fingers under Yixing’s shirt, thumbs rubbing up his skin. “Your reaction suggests otherwise,” he says. “My birthday’s not for ages, so it can’t be that. What are you planning that you can’t tell me?”
“I’m just helping Lu Han out with something. I’ll tell you eventually,” Yixing says, and there’s promise in his voice. “Now forget about it, okay?”
Wu Fan makes a noise of contemplation, watches the way Yixing’s breath hitches and he bites onto his lower lip, eyes darkening as he stares down at him. “Fine, I’ll drop it,” Wu Fan says, and he grabs the collar of Yixing’s shirt and drags him close. “For now.”
Yixing drops his phone onto the side of the bed so he can tangle both hands into Wu Fan’s hair and this time their kiss is deep and rushed, gasps sounding loud in the otherwise silent apartment. Wu Fan rubs his hands up Yixing’s back, dragging his shirt with him until Yixing draws back enough to let him take it off, and Yixing sighs into his mouth as he lies down against him, feet dragging against Wu Fan’s calf and drawing a shudder out of his mouth.
“Your feet are freezing,” Wu Fan hisses and Yixing laughs, touches his feet against Wu Fan’s skin on purpose and says, “Shut up,” before dragging Wu Fan back into a kiss.
-
"Hey, we definitely need to go to the grocery today," Yixing says as he walks into the bathroom and peers at Wu Fan through the glass of the shower.
Wu Fan drags a soapy hand across the glass like it's Yixing's face and he laughs at him from the other side. "Nothing to eat?" Wu Fan calls back, a little louder to be heard over the rush of water.
"There's enough to make some pancakes and maybe an omelet, but yeah, it's pretty empty," Yixing replies as he slides open the glass and climbs into the shower behind him.
Wu Fan narrows his eyes at him. "This is my shower, go get your own."
Yixing smirks. "You say that like we've never done this," he says, reaching for Wu Fan's head to work the shampoo into his hair.
Wu Fan sighs and is quick to relent, because Yixing's fingers feel incredibly nice against his scalp. Yixing gives him a tiny knowing smirk but doesn’t say anything, just massages his head quietly and then pushes him under the spray. Wu Fan splutters and Yixing’s laughter echoes loud against tiled walls, quickly turning into a squeal when Wu Fan retaliates with soapy hands.
“We should probably buy some extra stuff since Chanyeol and Jongdae are coming over for dinner tonight,” Wu Fan says, slathering soap across Yixing’s back for him.
“Ah, I almost forgot about that,” Yixing exclaims, and Wu Fan chuckles.
“Which is why I’m reminding you,” he says and Yixing turns around to face him, linking his hands up behind Wu Fan’s neck, a bright grin across his face.
Yixing kisses him once on the mouth, and Wu Fan feels his lips stretch wider against his own. “Where would I be without you?”
“Thankfully you don’t have to find out,” Wu Fan answers with a smile, and pushes Yixing’s head under the water.
-
They’re halfway down the building in the elevator when Wu Fan blinks at Yixing thoughtfully through the mirrored doors in front of him. Yixing is making faces at the mirror in attempts to get Wu Fan to laugh and has so far been pretty unsuccessfully, but Wu Fan isn’t concerned about that.
“Did you bring the list?” he asks Yixing who stops doing kiyomi in the mirror to blink at him and from that reaction Wu Fan already knows the answer.
Yixing is smiling apologetically as he checks the pockets on his jeans and then says, “Sorry. I thought I grabbed it!”
Wu Fan just shakes his head as the elevator dings into the lobby of their apartment building. “Wait here, I’ll go get it. Is it still on the fridge?”
“I think so?” Yixing says hopefully, stepping off the elevator and waving at Wu Fan as the doors shut between them. Wu Fan just sighs, and he can’t even be annoyed because a forgetful Yixing is something he’s gotten used to a long time ago, back when they were just friends and Yixing would forget to do his homework and beg Wu Fan to copy off of him before class.
The grocery list is indeed still on the fridge when Wu Fan gets back up to their apartment, and he pushes the little panda magnet that Yixing had bought a year back saying that it reminded him of Zitao to the side and folds the slip of paper in half and tucks it into the back pocket of his jeans with his wallet.
Yixing is waiting in the lobby for him, rocking back and forth on his feet, staring down at his phone, and he grins at Wu Fan when the elevator opens to let him out.
“Was it there?” he asks and Wu Fan nods. They walk around to the back exit which is closer to the Family Mart down the street and Yixing slips his fingers into Wu Fan’s hand, holding on loosely for the short time they’re still inside. He lets go when they step out onto the street and the warm Seoul heat greets them, and Wu Fan tries not to miss the soft press of Yixing’s palm against his too much. They both know better than to hold hands in public.
The walk down to the store is mostly in silence, and that’s one thing Wu Fan has always liked about being with Yixing. Knowing each other for as long as they have, and being together as a couple for a few years, they know practically everything there is to know about each other. Yixing doesn’t feel the need to fill space with unnecessary conversations, especially when he knows Wu Fan would rather just enjoy silence. If he’s in a chatty mood, he points things out around them, or brings up a topic they can both easily discuss so he’s not left babbling about randomness while Wu Fan itches to shut him up with the kiss.
Now though Yixing just walks quietly beside him, occasionally pulling his phone from his pocket when it vibrates and types up a message. Wu Fan keeps an eye on him so Yixing doesn’t walk straight into traffic or a lamp post, grabbing his elbow to steer him away when other passerby are heading towards them. Yixing smiles up at him every time, dimple pronounced in his cheek, and Wu Fan sighs, “You’re gonna get yourself killed if you keep doing that.”
“Not if you’re here to save me,” Yixing responds easily and pats Wu Fan’s cheek before heading off into the Family Mart. He grabs a basket and walks straight toward the fresh produce, Wu Fan following after slowly.
He picks the shopping list out of his pocket and holds it out in front of Yixing’s face, says, “Let’s stick to what’s on this, okay?” Yixing nods, takes the list, and it’s enough to distract him from putting the overpriced watermelon into their basket.
It’s a fun grocery trip, especially since it’s been the first time they’ve gone out shopping together in over a month. Usually Wu Fan stops by to pick things up while Yixing is at work during the day, and Yixing buys whatever they run out of in the evenings when he’s done with classes, or lately on the weekends when Wu Fan is still working. Today, it’s nice to spend time with Yixing doing simple menial things, like reminding him that they don’t really need two bags of carrots or sneaking out the box of crackers that Yixing always buys but Wu Fan finds disgusting.
Yixing catches onto that sooner rather than later, and he laughs, punching Wu Fan. He stomps back to the shelf to grab another box and Wu Fan easily plucks it out of his hands, holding it high above his head where Yixing can’t reach. He laughs more as he jumps up, hand waving back and forth, and his face is scrunched up in both concentration and annoyance, and Wu Fan just wants to lean forward and kiss him.
He could, in the empty aisle, and he thinks about doing it. Those little stolen moments when they’re in public, when Yixing holds his hand under the table at a restaurant, or Wu Fan rests his hands on his waist in pretense of steering him out of harms way, even when they’re alone in places like this, and Yixing pulls him into a dressing room to show him the new shirt he’s buying and Wu Fan ends up pressing him against the wall and kissing him instead, Wu Fan really enjoys them. It’s a little bit reckless, neither one of them want to get caught by anyone who might know them, but the thrill of it is fun. And the way Yixing looks at him, all big, bright eyes and beautiful smile, is enough to push away the fear.
Right now, Wu Fan is ready to close the space between them in a kiss, when the squeak of a shopping cart turns quickly into their aisle. Yixing pushes him away with a laugh, passing off their closeness as a joke and using the distraction to jump up and grab the box of cookies Wu Fan forgot were even in his hand.
“Hah! There!” he says excitedly, dropping the box back into his basket. “You don’t have to eat them if you don’t like them.”
“You shouldn’t eat them at all, since they’re disgusting.” Wu Fan makes a face.
Yixing just smiles at him, turns around to head back up the aisle, and he stops so suddenly that Wu Fan nearly knocks him over when he walks into him. “Jongin!” Yixing exclaims, and Wu Fan blinks, looking over Yixing to a young boy a few feet away, putting a plastic bag of pretzels into his basket. He turns at the sound of his name and his eyes go wide with recognition.
“Yixing-seonsaengnim,” he says politely, walking over to meet them. “Hi, how are you?”
Wu Fan smiles at the boy when he glances up at him, and then steps away to let Yixing talk to his student. He browses the opposite wall, scanning the packs of noodles and canned foods, mulling over what they’re missing at home that they should probably buy. He tries not to listen in on Yixing and Jongin, but they’re chatting animatedly about the class Yixing teaches, and Jongin reminds him about a dance show he’s in coming up within a few weeks that he wants Yixing to attend.
“Of course I’ll come,” Yixing says brightly and Wu Fan smiles to himself. Yixing’s unfaltering enthusiasm and support of his students always amazes Wu Fan, who has always had his fair share of teachers who never seemed to care. If Wu Fan had met one of his own teachers in a grocery store, he’d have run the other way. He thinks it’s cute that Yixing’s students like him, though he’s definitely not surprised that they do in the first place.
“Well, I should let you continue shopping, Jongin,” Yixing says. “I have to finish buying things for dinner tonight, with my friend.” Wu Fan’s sure Yixing is gesturing toward him at that, and the word friend never fails to sit a little heavily in Wu Fan’s heart.
He pushes it aside and picks up a random box off the shelf, turns it over and pretends to read the back intently. He hears Jongin bidding goodbye and Yixing calling after him to make sure to turn his paper on time on Wednesday, and Jongin laughs back, assures him he will. Then it’s quiet and Yixing loops an arm around Wu Fan’s left, presses his cheek against his bicep.
“Hey,” he says softly, “you know, you could have said hi instead of being antisocial.” He peers at the box in Wu Fan’s hand. “Did you want to buy that?”
“No,” Wu Fan says, shaking his head and putting it back. He looks down at Yixing and sighs, slides his hand along Yixing’s arm to take his hand and squeeze. He pulls away then, as a mother and her two children veer around the corner. “Come on, let’s get the rest of stuff on our list, okay?”
Yixing looks like he wants to say something else, but then he just nods and smiles. “All right,” he says and leads the way.
-
Wu Fan flops onto the couch with a heavy sigh, sliding down onto his back against the leather cushions with his eyes closed and stretching his arms over his head. The last of the cleaning is finally done; the rooms all vacuumed and laundry taken care of, all of Yixing’s piles of schoolwork returned to the small study instead of spread out across the coffee table. He’d even dusted off the bookshelves and around the television, wiped down the kitchen counters and table, tidied up the bathroom. Yixing said he’d take care of the dishes as he cooks and Wu Fan is glad for that because he’s exhausted. There’s still two hours before Jongdae and Chanyeol come over and Wu Fan is glad he managed to finish early enough to get some rest and maybe hop in the shower again before then.
The apartment is silent save for Yixing blasting some Super Junior M song that Wu Fan only knows half the words to. He occasionally sings as well, just loud enough that Wu Fan could hear him around the apartment, his soft voice the perfect backtrack as he cleaned. He’s quiet now, though, but Wu Fan doesn’t expect that to last very long. He’ll probably yell for him to come over and help chop vegetables or something soon, or come looking for him just for a quick kiss.
Until then, Wu Fan is content to just lay on the couch in peace. He’s mostly a hindrance in the kitchen anyway, and he’d rather not cut his finger off or mess up the recipe considering they have friends coming over.
He’s surprised when he feels the couch dip with added weight because he didn’t even hear Yixing walk into the room. Warm hands slide up his chest as Yixing settles comfortably on his thighs and Wu Fan slowly opens his eyes to smile at him. Yixing isn’t smiling though, he looks a little worried, and Wu Fan frowns as he reaches up to poke his finger into the spot where Yixing’s dimple is.
“What’s wrong?” he asks, when Yixing’s lips quiver a bit in amusement.
“That’s what I wanted to ask you,” Yixing says. “You’ve been quiet all day, ever since we got back from shopping. Is something bothering you?”
He wants to say no, just brush it off and pretend like nothing is wrong. Make Yixing stop looking at him with furrowed brows and worried frown. But Wu Fan knows there’s no point in hiding anything from Yixing, who has always had a special way of getting under his skin and figuring out his most hidden secrets. There’s no point in hiding anything from Yixing anyway, because Wu Fan loves Yixing and knows that no matter how inane or serious something is, he will make it better.
“Doesn’t it bother you?” Wu Fan asks. He raises a hand to thread through Yixing’s soft hair. It’s been getting a little long and Yixing keeps saying how he should get it cut, but ends up forgetting to ever stop by the salon to actually do it. Wu Fan likes it long, though, that he can push his bangs from his face, or clench his fingers into it when Yixing kisses him hard.
“Doesn’t what bother me?” His voice is gentle, curious, and not demanding, and Wu Fan appreciates that. Yixing leans his face into Wu Fan’s palm and slowly traces his fingers across the letters on Wu Fan’s old t-shirt. Something in Yixing’s eyes tells Wu Fan that he already has an idea what this is all about.
That makes it easier to say it. “Introducing me as your friend,” Wu Fan murmurs. He doesn’t quite meet Yixing’s eyes. They’ve talked about this before, years ago when their relationship first switched from being friends to something more, something different. It’s come up occasionally since then, of course, and the answer is still the same.
Yixing gives Wu Fan a small punch to the chest, and Wu Fan finally looks at him. He’s pouting, but his eyes are bright, amused. “Of course it does, stupid,” he says, and Wu Fan lets out a tiny chuckle. “But we both know it’s better that way.”
Wu Fan sighs and rubs his temples with his fingertips as his eyes fall shut. “I know,” he says, “sometimes it just gets to me.”
The leather of the couch squeaks a bit as Yixing shifts around atop of Wu Fan until he’s curled against his chest, head notched just under Wu Fan’s chin and legs sliding between his. An arm wraps around his middle and he feels so warm. “It gets to me too, you know,” Yixing says. “I’d definitely rather have told Jongin that you’re not just some friend, but my incredibly hot doctor boyfriend.”
Wu Fan snorts. “Incredibly hot, huh?” he repeats, and there’s a slow burn of pleasure in his chest at Yixing’s words. He rubs a hand down Yixing’s back as he glances down at him.
“Well, only when you’re in your lab coat,” Yixing replies, straight-faced, and once Wu Fan’s face twists into a scowl, he laughs. He scoots up and kisses Wu Fan’s frown away, and Wu Fan sighs, the heavy weight that’s been in his mind all day fading away with each brush of Yixing’s lips against his.
When Yixing pulls back, he’s smiling. "Have you really been upset about this all day?" he asks, fingers playing with the hem of Wu Fan's shirt and sneaking underneath. When Wu Fan nods, a little embarrassed, Yixing adds, "Why didn't you say anything?"
"There's not much to be said, you know that," Wu Fan replies with a sigh. He reaches out to pull at the top button of Yixing's white top, as Yixing's fingers slide against the planes of his stomach. "We can't change the way the world is."
"Yet," Yixing says wisely, "I don't know about you but that is on my list of Things To Do."
Wu Fan is not nearly as optimistic, but he laughs at Yixing's positivity and tugs him back into a kiss, hand tight at the collar of his shirt. "Thanks," he says when he pulls back. "I feel better now."
"Good," Yixing says, pulling his hands out of Wu Fan's shirt and sliding off him entirely. Wu Fan whines at that, grabs his wrist to yank him back, but Yixing just takes his hands in his and hauls him up off the couch too. "Then you can help me finish cooking," he says, pulling Wu Fan into the kitchen.
Wu Fan follows without a word, Yixing's hand warm in his, and he thinks this is okay. More than okay. It doesn't matter if they have to hide, if Yixing introduces him as a friend, if Wu Fan has to explain to a colleague at the hospital that Yixing's just his roommate, because when Yixing smiles at him and holds his hand like this, he knows he's not doing it alone.
"You're thinking something gross and sappy, aren't you? I can see it on your face," Yixing says, peering up at Wu Fan and poking him in the forehead.
Wu Fan pokes him back and Yixing giggles. He knows better than admitting what he was thinking to Yixing aloud, but that doesn’t stop him from pulling Yixing into a hug. “Hey, I love you,” he says, and instantly Yixing stops playfully shoving him away to sag against his chest. Arms curl up his back and squeeze gently. Wu Fan lets go and pulls back, his face feels a little heated, even though this is far from the first time he’s said those words to Yixing.
“I know,” Yixing says, smirking. He looks flushed, too, and delightfully pleased. He turns away to pull out the cutting board from under the kitchen sink, sets it onto the counter in front of Wu Fan next to a pile of vegetables. He smiles, and it makes Wu Fan’s chest feel warm. “I love you, too,” he says, and then hands Wu Fan a tomato. “Now get to work.” His smile widens into a mischievous grin. “If you finish soon, maybe I’ll show you just how much I love you.”
There’s promise in his eyes. Wu Fan just laughs, shaking his head, and dutifully picks up a knife.
note: i planned to write chenyeol showing up bc there’s only been fanxing in this verse so far, but i wasn’t actually sure what to do with them lol. in the end i liked this moment as an ending better. next time hopefully i can have them interacting with people other than each other!! XD but anyway, i hope you enjoyed~ thank you for reading! (●´∀｀●)
Pairing: Wu Fan/Yixing
Rating: PG-13
Summary: domestic!au verse. Wu Fan expects to enjoy a simple Sunday with Yixing, but ends up with something a little heavier on his mind.
Author’s Note: 4331 words. I was inspired by this prompt and it somehow turned into this, I have no idea. I started this aaaages ago so I’m glad I finally finished it. I’ve been meaning to write more for this verse for a long time. I’ve missed fanxing ;~; I hope you enjoy! :3
Wu Fan stirs from the depths of slumber as light suddenly pours into the room, cascading bright behind his eyelids. He groans, turning away from the source, and he hears what is undoubtedly Yixing’s soft laughter. The bed dips as Yixing seems to climb back under the blankets and Wu Fan resigns himself to waking up earlier than usual when Yixing’s arms wrap around his waist and his lips press against the nape of his neck.
“Hey,” he says. “Are you awake?”
“I am now,” Wu Fan mutters, voice still groggy with sleep. “It’s Sunday. Go back to sleep, Yixing.”
“Nah, stay awake with me,” Yixing says, and he tugs at Wu Fan’s waist until Wu Fan complies and turns back around. “You’ve been working a lot of weekends lately, this is our first day off together in long time.” He pouts. “Don’t waste it sleeping.”
Wu Fan hums thoughtfully, slides a hand up Yixing’s back. He does have a good point. While Wu Fan would definitely enjoy getting a few more hours of sleep to make up for what little he’s gotten the past few weeks, he thinks spending the morning just lazing around with Yixing would be just as satisfying, if not more so.
“All right,” he says, finally. “You’re gonna have to keep me awake, then. Or else I’ll just fall back asleep.” He rolls his head around a bit, trying to work away the pain in his neck from sleep, as Yixing laughs and skates his fingertips across Wu Fan’s hip.
“I’m sure I can find think of something,” Yixing says, presses a kiss to the corner of Wu Fan’s mouth. Wu Fan exhales deeply, turns his face just slightly to catch Yixing’s lips and the kiss is short and sweet, just enough to wake Wu Fan up fully. He slips his hand into Yixing’s hair, knotted a little from sleep, and Yixing whines into his mouth as he tugs a bit too hard.
“Sorry,” he murmurs, but Yixing shakes his head and scoots over so he can lie on his back, rest his head against Wu Fan’s bare shoulder. “What time is it anyway?”
“I’m not sure,” Yixing replies. “Does it matter?”
Instead of answering, Wu Fan just reaches over to the bedside table and grabs the first phone he touches. It’s Yixing’s instead of his own, and he laughs at the picture of Yixing and their friend Lu Han making weird faces that’s set as his wallpaper. “Cute,” he comments and Yixing just smiles against his skin. It’s not quite nine in the morning and Wu Fan laments, exaggeratedly, “All the hours of sleep I could have had.”
Yixing punches him in the side and he laughs. “You have messages,” he tells him, and Yixing peers over to look at the screen more clearly, so Wu Fan checks them for him.
“Ah, dinner with Zitao tomorrow?” he relates to Yixing who perks up and nods excitedly.
“I haven’t seen him in weeks!” he says and Wu Fan smiles widely, types up a reply for Yixing and sends it off.
“Me either,” Wu Fan says. “If I’m not too busy tomorrow, maybe I can meet you guys for dinner somewhere near the hospital?”
“That’d be nice,” Yixing says, tucking his right arm around Wu Fan’s left and slowly kissing up his neck. “When was the last time we had dinner together?”
Wu Fan groans. “Don’t remind me.” He really doesn’t want to think about how many hours he’s put into work lately. It’s always busy working at a hospital, but they’ve been understaffed recently and Wu Fan’s been helping out however he can. He’s hoping everything will return to normal within the coming week.
He pushes those thoughts away for now though because it’s his day off and he definitely doesn’t want to spend it thinking about work, and checks Yixing’s other messages for him. Yixing’s terrible at checking his phone in a timely fashion and even worse at replying to messages. If Wu Fan hadn’t answered Zitao’s text, Yixing probably never would have. There’s a conversation there with his friend Kyungsoo who teaches at the university with him, and something from Lu Han that makes Wu Fan’s brow raise.
“A surprise party? For who?” he questions Yixing, and Yixing’s eyes grow wide and he snatches his phone away, glancing down at the screen quickly before hiding his phone under the covers.
“Nothing!” he exclaims, his actions incredibly suspicious and Wu Fan narrows his eyes for a second, considering, and then lunges. Yixing shrieks but manages to keep Wu Fan from grabbing his phone away from him, successfully pinning Wu Fan back onto the bed and straddling his waist to keep him from moving. “Seriously, Wu Fan. It’s nothing important,” he pants, chest heaving under his tank top that’s gotten stretched out a bit from their tussle, low collar showing off too much skin and one sleeve hanging over his shoulder.
Wu Fan presses his fingers under Yixing’s shirt, thumbs rubbing up his skin. “Your reaction suggests otherwise,” he says. “My birthday’s not for ages, so it can’t be that. What are you planning that you can’t tell me?”
“I’m just helping Lu Han out with something. I’ll tell you eventually,” Yixing says, and there’s promise in his voice. “Now forget about it, okay?”
Wu Fan makes a noise of contemplation, watches the way Yixing’s breath hitches and he bites onto his lower lip, eyes darkening as he stares down at him. “Fine, I’ll drop it,” Wu Fan says, and he grabs the collar of Yixing’s shirt and drags him close. “For now.”
Yixing drops his phone onto the side of the bed so he can tangle both hands into Wu Fan’s hair and this time their kiss is deep and rushed, gasps sounding loud in the otherwise silent apartment. Wu Fan rubs his hands up Yixing’s back, dragging his shirt with him until Yixing draws back enough to let him take it off, and Yixing sighs into his mouth as he lies down against him, feet dragging against Wu Fan’s calf and drawing a shudder out of his mouth.
“Your feet are freezing,” Wu Fan hisses and Yixing laughs, touches his feet against Wu Fan’s skin on purpose and says, “Shut up,” before dragging Wu Fan back into a kiss.
-
"Hey, we definitely need to go to the grocery today," Yixing says as he walks into the bathroom and peers at Wu Fan through the glass of the shower.
Wu Fan drags a soapy hand across the glass like it's Yixing's face and he laughs at him from the other side. "Nothing to eat?" Wu Fan calls back, a little louder to be heard over the rush of water.
"There's enough to make some pancakes and maybe an omelet, but yeah, it's pretty empty," Yixing replies as he slides open the glass and climbs into the shower behind him.
Wu Fan narrows his eyes at him. "This is my shower, go get your own."
Yixing smirks. "You say that like we've never done this," he says, reaching for Wu Fan's head to work the shampoo into his hair.
Wu Fan sighs and is quick to relent, because Yixing's fingers feel incredibly nice against his scalp. Yixing gives him a tiny knowing smirk but doesn’t say anything, just massages his head quietly and then pushes him under the spray. Wu Fan splutters and Yixing’s laughter echoes loud against tiled walls, quickly turning into a squeal when Wu Fan retaliates with soapy hands.
“We should probably buy some extra stuff since Chanyeol and Jongdae are coming over for dinner tonight,” Wu Fan says, slathering soap across Yixing’s back for him.
“Ah, I almost forgot about that,” Yixing exclaims, and Wu Fan chuckles.
“Which is why I’m reminding you,” he says and Yixing turns around to face him, linking his hands up behind Wu Fan’s neck, a bright grin across his face.
Yixing kisses him once on the mouth, and Wu Fan feels his lips stretch wider against his own. “Where would I be without you?”
“Thankfully you don’t have to find out,” Wu Fan answers with a smile, and pushes Yixing’s head under the water.
-
They’re halfway down the building in the elevator when Wu Fan blinks at Yixing thoughtfully through the mirrored doors in front of him. Yixing is making faces at the mirror in attempts to get Wu Fan to laugh and has so far been pretty unsuccessfully, but Wu Fan isn’t concerned about that.
“Did you bring the list?” he asks Yixing who stops doing kiyomi in the mirror to blink at him and from that reaction Wu Fan already knows the answer.
Yixing is smiling apologetically as he checks the pockets on his jeans and then says, “Sorry. I thought I grabbed it!”
Wu Fan just shakes his head as the elevator dings into the lobby of their apartment building. “Wait here, I’ll go get it. Is it still on the fridge?”
“I think so?” Yixing says hopefully, stepping off the elevator and waving at Wu Fan as the doors shut between them. Wu Fan just sighs, and he can’t even be annoyed because a forgetful Yixing is something he’s gotten used to a long time ago, back when they were just friends and Yixing would forget to do his homework and beg Wu Fan to copy off of him before class.
The grocery list is indeed still on the fridge when Wu Fan gets back up to their apartment, and he pushes the little panda magnet that Yixing had bought a year back saying that it reminded him of Zitao to the side and folds the slip of paper in half and tucks it into the back pocket of his jeans with his wallet.
Yixing is waiting in the lobby for him, rocking back and forth on his feet, staring down at his phone, and he grins at Wu Fan when the elevator opens to let him out.
“Was it there?” he asks and Wu Fan nods. They walk around to the back exit which is closer to the Family Mart down the street and Yixing slips his fingers into Wu Fan’s hand, holding on loosely for the short time they’re still inside. He lets go when they step out onto the street and the warm Seoul heat greets them, and Wu Fan tries not to miss the soft press of Yixing’s palm against his too much. They both know better than to hold hands in public.
The walk down to the store is mostly in silence, and that’s one thing Wu Fan has always liked about being with Yixing. Knowing each other for as long as they have, and being together as a couple for a few years, they know practically everything there is to know about each other. Yixing doesn’t feel the need to fill space with unnecessary conversations, especially when he knows Wu Fan would rather just enjoy silence. If he’s in a chatty mood, he points things out around them, or brings up a topic they can both easily discuss so he’s not left babbling about randomness while Wu Fan itches to shut him up with the kiss.
Now though Yixing just walks quietly beside him, occasionally pulling his phone from his pocket when it vibrates and types up a message. Wu Fan keeps an eye on him so Yixing doesn’t walk straight into traffic or a lamp post, grabbing his elbow to steer him away when other passerby are heading towards them. Yixing smiles up at him every time, dimple pronounced in his cheek, and Wu Fan sighs, “You’re gonna get yourself killed if you keep doing that.”
“Not if you’re here to save me,” Yixing responds easily and pats Wu Fan’s cheek before heading off into the Family Mart. He grabs a basket and walks straight toward the fresh produce, Wu Fan following after slowly.
He picks the shopping list out of his pocket and holds it out in front of Yixing’s face, says, “Let’s stick to what’s on this, okay?” Yixing nods, takes the list, and it’s enough to distract him from putting the overpriced watermelon into their basket.
It’s a fun grocery trip, especially since it’s been the first time they’ve gone out shopping together in over a month. Usually Wu Fan stops by to pick things up while Yixing is at work during the day, and Yixing buys whatever they run out of in the evenings when he’s done with classes, or lately on the weekends when Wu Fan is still working. Today, it’s nice to spend time with Yixing doing simple menial things, like reminding him that they don’t really need two bags of carrots or sneaking out the box of crackers that Yixing always buys but Wu Fan finds disgusting.
Yixing catches onto that sooner rather than later, and he laughs, punching Wu Fan. He stomps back to the shelf to grab another box and Wu Fan easily plucks it out of his hands, holding it high above his head where Yixing can’t reach. He laughs more as he jumps up, hand waving back and forth, and his face is scrunched up in both concentration and annoyance, and Wu Fan just wants to lean forward and kiss him.
He could, in the empty aisle, and he thinks about doing it. Those little stolen moments when they’re in public, when Yixing holds his hand under the table at a restaurant, or Wu Fan rests his hands on his waist in pretense of steering him out of harms way, even when they’re alone in places like this, and Yixing pulls him into a dressing room to show him the new shirt he’s buying and Wu Fan ends up pressing him against the wall and kissing him instead, Wu Fan really enjoys them. It’s a little bit reckless, neither one of them want to get caught by anyone who might know them, but the thrill of it is fun. And the way Yixing looks at him, all big, bright eyes and beautiful smile, is enough to push away the fear.
Right now, Wu Fan is ready to close the space between them in a kiss, when the squeak of a shopping cart turns quickly into their aisle. Yixing pushes him away with a laugh, passing off their closeness as a joke and using the distraction to jump up and grab the box of cookies Wu Fan forgot were even in his hand.
“Hah! There!” he says excitedly, dropping the box back into his basket. “You don’t have to eat them if you don’t like them.”
“You shouldn’t eat them at all, since they’re disgusting.” Wu Fan makes a face.
Yixing just smiles at him, turns around to head back up the aisle, and he stops so suddenly that Wu Fan nearly knocks him over when he walks into him. “Jongin!” Yixing exclaims, and Wu Fan blinks, looking over Yixing to a young boy a few feet away, putting a plastic bag of pretzels into his basket. He turns at the sound of his name and his eyes go wide with recognition.
“Yixing-seonsaengnim,” he says politely, walking over to meet them. “Hi, how are you?”
Wu Fan smiles at the boy when he glances up at him, and then steps away to let Yixing talk to his student. He browses the opposite wall, scanning the packs of noodles and canned foods, mulling over what they’re missing at home that they should probably buy. He tries not to listen in on Yixing and Jongin, but they’re chatting animatedly about the class Yixing teaches, and Jongin reminds him about a dance show he’s in coming up within a few weeks that he wants Yixing to attend.
“Of course I’ll come,” Yixing says brightly and Wu Fan smiles to himself. Yixing’s unfaltering enthusiasm and support of his students always amazes Wu Fan, who has always had his fair share of teachers who never seemed to care. If Wu Fan had met one of his own teachers in a grocery store, he’d have run the other way. He thinks it’s cute that Yixing’s students like him, though he’s definitely not surprised that they do in the first place.
“Well, I should let you continue shopping, Jongin,” Yixing says. “I have to finish buying things for dinner tonight, with my friend.” Wu Fan’s sure Yixing is gesturing toward him at that, and the word friend never fails to sit a little heavily in Wu Fan’s heart.
He pushes it aside and picks up a random box off the shelf, turns it over and pretends to read the back intently. He hears Jongin bidding goodbye and Yixing calling after him to make sure to turn his paper on time on Wednesday, and Jongin laughs back, assures him he will. Then it’s quiet and Yixing loops an arm around Wu Fan’s left, presses his cheek against his bicep.
“Hey,” he says softly, “you know, you could have said hi instead of being antisocial.” He peers at the box in Wu Fan’s hand. “Did you want to buy that?”
“No,” Wu Fan says, shaking his head and putting it back. He looks down at Yixing and sighs, slides his hand along Yixing’s arm to take his hand and squeeze. He pulls away then, as a mother and her two children veer around the corner. “Come on, let’s get the rest of stuff on our list, okay?”
Yixing looks like he wants to say something else, but then he just nods and smiles. “All right,” he says and leads the way.
-
Wu Fan flops onto the couch with a heavy sigh, sliding down onto his back against the leather cushions with his eyes closed and stretching his arms over his head. The last of the cleaning is finally done; the rooms all vacuumed and laundry taken care of, all of Yixing’s piles of schoolwork returned to the small study instead of spread out across the coffee table. He’d even dusted off the bookshelves and around the television, wiped down the kitchen counters and table, tidied up the bathroom. Yixing said he’d take care of the dishes as he cooks and Wu Fan is glad for that because he’s exhausted. There’s still two hours before Jongdae and Chanyeol come over and Wu Fan is glad he managed to finish early enough to get some rest and maybe hop in the shower again before then.
The apartment is silent save for Yixing blasting some Super Junior M song that Wu Fan only knows half the words to. He occasionally sings as well, just loud enough that Wu Fan could hear him around the apartment, his soft voice the perfect backtrack as he cleaned. He’s quiet now, though, but Wu Fan doesn’t expect that to last very long. He’ll probably yell for him to come over and help chop vegetables or something soon, or come looking for him just for a quick kiss.
Until then, Wu Fan is content to just lay on the couch in peace. He’s mostly a hindrance in the kitchen anyway, and he’d rather not cut his finger off or mess up the recipe considering they have friends coming over.
He’s surprised when he feels the couch dip with added weight because he didn’t even hear Yixing walk into the room. Warm hands slide up his chest as Yixing settles comfortably on his thighs and Wu Fan slowly opens his eyes to smile at him. Yixing isn’t smiling though, he looks a little worried, and Wu Fan frowns as he reaches up to poke his finger into the spot where Yixing’s dimple is.
“What’s wrong?” he asks, when Yixing’s lips quiver a bit in amusement.
“That’s what I wanted to ask you,” Yixing says. “You’ve been quiet all day, ever since we got back from shopping. Is something bothering you?”
He wants to say no, just brush it off and pretend like nothing is wrong. Make Yixing stop looking at him with furrowed brows and worried frown. But Wu Fan knows there’s no point in hiding anything from Yixing, who has always had a special way of getting under his skin and figuring out his most hidden secrets. There’s no point in hiding anything from Yixing anyway, because Wu Fan loves Yixing and knows that no matter how inane or serious something is, he will make it better.
“Doesn’t it bother you?” Wu Fan asks. He raises a hand to thread through Yixing’s soft hair. It’s been getting a little long and Yixing keeps saying how he should get it cut, but ends up forgetting to ever stop by the salon to actually do it. Wu Fan likes it long, though, that he can push his bangs from his face, or clench his fingers into it when Yixing kisses him hard.
“Doesn’t what bother me?” His voice is gentle, curious, and not demanding, and Wu Fan appreciates that. Yixing leans his face into Wu Fan’s palm and slowly traces his fingers across the letters on Wu Fan’s old t-shirt. Something in Yixing’s eyes tells Wu Fan that he already has an idea what this is all about.
That makes it easier to say it. “Introducing me as your friend,” Wu Fan murmurs. He doesn’t quite meet Yixing’s eyes. They’ve talked about this before, years ago when their relationship first switched from being friends to something more, something different. It’s come up occasionally since then, of course, and the answer is still the same.
Yixing gives Wu Fan a small punch to the chest, and Wu Fan finally looks at him. He’s pouting, but his eyes are bright, amused. “Of course it does, stupid,” he says, and Wu Fan lets out a tiny chuckle. “But we both know it’s better that way.”
Wu Fan sighs and rubs his temples with his fingertips as his eyes fall shut. “I know,” he says, “sometimes it just gets to me.”
The leather of the couch squeaks a bit as Yixing shifts around atop of Wu Fan until he’s curled against his chest, head notched just under Wu Fan’s chin and legs sliding between his. An arm wraps around his middle and he feels so warm. “It gets to me too, you know,” Yixing says. “I’d definitely rather have told Jongin that you’re not just some friend, but my incredibly hot doctor boyfriend.”
Wu Fan snorts. “Incredibly hot, huh?” he repeats, and there’s a slow burn of pleasure in his chest at Yixing’s words. He rubs a hand down Yixing’s back as he glances down at him.
“Well, only when you’re in your lab coat,” Yixing replies, straight-faced, and once Wu Fan’s face twists into a scowl, he laughs. He scoots up and kisses Wu Fan’s frown away, and Wu Fan sighs, the heavy weight that’s been in his mind all day fading away with each brush of Yixing’s lips against his.
When Yixing pulls back, he’s smiling. "Have you really been upset about this all day?" he asks, fingers playing with the hem of Wu Fan's shirt and sneaking underneath. When Wu Fan nods, a little embarrassed, Yixing adds, "Why didn't you say anything?"
"There's not much to be said, you know that," Wu Fan replies with a sigh. He reaches out to pull at the top button of Yixing's white top, as Yixing's fingers slide against the planes of his stomach. "We can't change the way the world is."
"Yet," Yixing says wisely, "I don't know about you but that is on my list of Things To Do."
Wu Fan is not nearly as optimistic, but he laughs at Yixing's positivity and tugs him back into a kiss, hand tight at the collar of his shirt. "Thanks," he says when he pulls back. "I feel better now."
"Good," Yixing says, pulling his hands out of Wu Fan's shirt and sliding off him entirely. Wu Fan whines at that, grabs his wrist to yank him back, but Yixing just takes his hands in his and hauls him up off the couch too. "Then you can help me finish cooking," he says, pulling Wu Fan into the kitchen.
Wu Fan follows without a word, Yixing's hand warm in his, and he thinks this is okay. More than okay. It doesn't matter if they have to hide, if Yixing introduces him as a friend, if Wu Fan has to explain to a colleague at the hospital that Yixing's just his roommate, because when Yixing smiles at him and holds his hand like this, he knows he's not doing it alone.
"You're thinking something gross and sappy, aren't you? I can see it on your face," Yixing says, peering up at Wu Fan and poking him in the forehead.
Wu Fan pokes him back and Yixing giggles. He knows better than admitting what he was thinking to Yixing aloud, but that doesn’t stop him from pulling Yixing into a hug. “Hey, I love you,” he says, and instantly Yixing stops playfully shoving him away to sag against his chest. Arms curl up his back and squeeze gently. Wu Fan lets go and pulls back, his face feels a little heated, even though this is far from the first time he’s said those words to Yixing.
“I know,” Yixing says, smirking. He looks flushed, too, and delightfully pleased. He turns away to pull out the cutting board from under the kitchen sink, sets it onto the counter in front of Wu Fan next to a pile of vegetables. He smiles, and it makes Wu Fan’s chest feel warm. “I love you, too,” he says, and then hands Wu Fan a tomato. “Now get to work.” His smile widens into a mischievous grin. “If you finish soon, maybe I’ll show you just how much I love you.”
There’s promise in his eyes. Wu Fan just laughs, shaking his head, and dutifully picks up a knife.
note: i planned to write chenyeol showing up bc there’s only been fanxing in this verse so far, but i wasn’t actually sure what to do with them lol. in the end i liked this moment as an ending better. next time hopefully i can have them interacting with people other than each other!! XD but anyway, i hope you enjoyed~ thank you for reading! (●´∀｀●)