Zhen Zhi/Hai Tang Fluff
Title: Trial, Error
Canon: Tenipuri C-drama
Genre: Gen/Sap
Rating: G
Characters/Pairing: Zhen Zhi (Inui)/Hai Tang (Kaidoh)
Summary: When it comes to semi-good intentions, try, try again. (set after episode 5)
Author's Notes: Drama universe so personalities and such are different from manga/anime.
The first time Zhen Zhi tries, it fails.
“Hai Tang,” he says and pushes his glasses up because his hands feel fidgety even though he doesn’t quite understand why. “Do you need some help with your English course?”
The words caused Hai Tang to look up at him, confused. “Ah? Do you really have the time? Don’t you have your own homework to do?”
“No, I’m… it’s fine,” Zhen Zhi replies. “Since I’m not part of the regulars anymore, I have extra time to spare compared to before.”
Too late. Zhen Zhi realises his mistake too late - that that the wounds are still fresh and the wording all wrong, and Hai Tang narrows his eyes and lets out a low, irritated growl.
“Sorry,” he says quickly as if the word meant anything at all when Hai Tang rises out of his chair and shoves past him. “I didn’t mean… I didn’t…”
“Didn’t mean what?” the man snaps back at him and wrenches the door open. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I was just… do you still want help with English?” Zhen Zhi asks one more time and he could hear how feeble he sounds.
There was a tense silence before Hai Tang replies with, “No thanks. I’m going to ask Long Ma instead,” and storms out of the room.
Just because the lie was blatant didn’t make it hurt any less.
~*~
The second time Zhen Zhi tries, it works slightly better.
This time, he is wiser and calculates just a little bit more. He offers help on math - nothing to do with tennis, nothing to do with Long Ma - because he knows that is also something Hai Tang struggles with, and this time, he makes sure to be less obvious.
“Calculus?” Zhen Zhi asks as he sits down across from the short tempered man with his own textbook clutched in hand. “Me too.”
Well. Somewhat less obvious.
“Hn.” Hai Tang looks up, surprised, but not unpleasantly so. “Coincidence.”
Zhen Zhi neglects to inform him that he had Hai Tang’s weekly schedule memorized a long ago and had waited three days for today. “I guess. How is it coming?”
“Fine,” Hai Tang says and then mutters something under his breath that sounds nothing like ‘fine’ at all. Zhen Zhi tries to not smile at that, but fails and realises that too is a mistake when Hai Tang glares at him and crumples the paper he had been writing on in one fluid, vicious stroke. “What are you grinning at? You don’t believe me?!”
“I do, I do!” Zhen Zhi replies, but the smile is still on his face. “Though I think that the derivative of three isn’t five.”
Looking at him strangely, Hai Tang glances down at his work, squawks and then colours when he realises his mistake. “Don’t need your help,” he grumbles as he starts to erase. “Already know you’re better than me.”
Eight minutes and forty seven seconds later, Hai Tang makes another mistake and this time when Zhen Zhi corrects him, he thanks him. Grudgingly, but he does.
~*~
The third time, Zhen Zhi doesn’t have to try at all.
He is the one studying this time, with a biology textbook open on one side for an upcoming test, a few charts of the tennis team on the other, and a smattering of homework from other subjects littered about. When Zhen Zhi studies, he tends to lose track of his surroundings and so when Hai Tang paces next to him, he does not notice until the other man places a hand gingerly on his shoulder and then shakes him.
“Hmm?” He looks up at an embarrassed Hai Tang, not quite sure of what to expect. “Do you need something?”
Hai Tang chews his bottom lip and then thrusts his English homework at him. “I need. Need help.”
“Ah?”
“I don’t understand how to do the worksheet,” he elaborates and his face, if nothing else, only seemed to grow redder. “About before. Sorry.”
Zhen Zhi blinks and then blinks again. Data did not explain the warm, coiling feeling that started in his chest. “Do you…” he begins, and it feels much more complicated than it should. “Do you want me to show you how?”
Hai Tang nods, once, sharply.
He pulls up a chair next to him and maybe Hai Tang notices that the chair is closer than strictly necessary and that when Zhen Zhi starts to explain, he also leans in closer than strictly necessary and maybe he doesn’t, but if he did, he didn’t seem to mind.
Canon: Tenipuri C-drama
Genre: Gen/Sap
Rating: G
Characters/Pairing: Zhen Zhi (Inui)/Hai Tang (Kaidoh)
Summary: When it comes to semi-good intentions, try, try again. (set after episode 5)
Author's Notes: Drama universe so personalities and such are different from manga/anime.
The first time Zhen Zhi tries, it fails.
“Hai Tang,” he says and pushes his glasses up because his hands feel fidgety even though he doesn’t quite understand why. “Do you need some help with your English course?”
The words caused Hai Tang to look up at him, confused. “Ah? Do you really have the time? Don’t you have your own homework to do?”
“No, I’m… it’s fine,” Zhen Zhi replies. “Since I’m not part of the regulars anymore, I have extra time to spare compared to before.”
Too late. Zhen Zhi realises his mistake too late - that that the wounds are still fresh and the wording all wrong, and Hai Tang narrows his eyes and lets out a low, irritated growl.
“Sorry,” he says quickly as if the word meant anything at all when Hai Tang rises out of his chair and shoves past him. “I didn’t mean… I didn’t…”
“Didn’t mean what?” the man snaps back at him and wrenches the door open. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I was just… do you still want help with English?” Zhen Zhi asks one more time and he could hear how feeble he sounds.
There was a tense silence before Hai Tang replies with, “No thanks. I’m going to ask Long Ma instead,” and storms out of the room.
Just because the lie was blatant didn’t make it hurt any less.
~*~
The second time Zhen Zhi tries, it works slightly better.
This time, he is wiser and calculates just a little bit more. He offers help on math - nothing to do with tennis, nothing to do with Long Ma - because he knows that is also something Hai Tang struggles with, and this time, he makes sure to be less obvious.
“Calculus?” Zhen Zhi asks as he sits down across from the short tempered man with his own textbook clutched in hand. “Me too.”
Well. Somewhat less obvious.
“Hn.” Hai Tang looks up, surprised, but not unpleasantly so. “Coincidence.”
Zhen Zhi neglects to inform him that he had Hai Tang’s weekly schedule memorized a long ago and had waited three days for today. “I guess. How is it coming?”
“Fine,” Hai Tang says and then mutters something under his breath that sounds nothing like ‘fine’ at all. Zhen Zhi tries to not smile at that, but fails and realises that too is a mistake when Hai Tang glares at him and crumples the paper he had been writing on in one fluid, vicious stroke. “What are you grinning at? You don’t believe me?!”
“I do, I do!” Zhen Zhi replies, but the smile is still on his face. “Though I think that the derivative of three isn’t five.”
Looking at him strangely, Hai Tang glances down at his work, squawks and then colours when he realises his mistake. “Don’t need your help,” he grumbles as he starts to erase. “Already know you’re better than me.”
Eight minutes and forty seven seconds later, Hai Tang makes another mistake and this time when Zhen Zhi corrects him, he thanks him. Grudgingly, but he does.
~*~
The third time, Zhen Zhi doesn’t have to try at all.
He is the one studying this time, with a biology textbook open on one side for an upcoming test, a few charts of the tennis team on the other, and a smattering of homework from other subjects littered about. When Zhen Zhi studies, he tends to lose track of his surroundings and so when Hai Tang paces next to him, he does not notice until the other man places a hand gingerly on his shoulder and then shakes him.
“Hmm?” He looks up at an embarrassed Hai Tang, not quite sure of what to expect. “Do you need something?”
Hai Tang chews his bottom lip and then thrusts his English homework at him. “I need. Need help.”
“Ah?”
“I don’t understand how to do the worksheet,” he elaborates and his face, if nothing else, only seemed to grow redder. “About before. Sorry.”
Zhen Zhi blinks and then blinks again. Data did not explain the warm, coiling feeling that started in his chest. “Do you…” he begins, and it feels much more complicated than it should. “Do you want me to show you how?”
Hai Tang nods, once, sharply.
He pulls up a chair next to him and maybe Hai Tang notices that the chair is closer than strictly necessary and that when Zhen Zhi starts to explain, he also leans in closer than strictly necessary and maybe he doesn’t, but if he did, he didn’t seem to mind.