The Only Hope || Chapter 2
Title: The Only Hope - CHAPTER 2
Pairing: TaoRis
Rating: NC-17
Genre: Drama, Angst
Summary: “You’re out of school. You drink and smoke endlessly. What the hell is wrong with you?”
The sunlight peeked through the dusty window curtains of Zitao’s apartment. Kris stirred slowly, trying to move out of the current uncomfortable position he was in but suddenly felt a little heavier. He rubbed at his eyes and realized that he wasn’t in his own apartment. Now that everything was brighter, he noticed how neglected Tao’s place actually looked. Dirty clothes sat atop each other on a pile at the corner of the room, there was beer broken glass and left over take-out everywhere.
His head turned to the side to see the dark haired boy he barely remembers from the night before. Only this time, Tao had his arms around the blonde’s bare torso snoring away. He decides not to over react even if he did feel a jolt down his spine. Zitao was attractive to say the least but he didn’t understand the feelings that would to unfold when Yi Fan gazed at him. He really couldn’t make it out.
“SHIT!”
Kris unintentionally flips Tao over before getting to his feet.
“Fuck!” He curses again turning to look at the time. “I’m fucking late!” Kris starts to panic and he paces around the room trying to get his mind to work properly. Meanwhile, Tao groans as he rolls on the bed before finally sitting up.
“Ngh…” He pushes his dark locks away from his eyes and looks up to see the half-naked blonde walking around in circles before him.
“Sweet Jesus.” He mumbles blinking rapidly, trying to figure out if he was still dreaming.
Kris whirled around to see that Tao was awake. He also remembered that he still didn’t have a shirt on. Embarrassed, he tried to think of something good to say.
“I…” Kris stuttered as he tried to avoid the other’s eyes. “I was…you were…uh…” He continued but the words just wouldn’t come.
Tao smirked, “It’s okay. I’m used to it. Only…I wish I was awake when it happened.” He chuckled a little, rubbing the back of his neck.
His words left the other wondering about what he was talking about. Kris put on a confused expression before replying, “What? I don’t understand… Awake when what happened?”
The younger male laughed aloud, “Seriously. You don’t have to pretend like nothing happened. It’s okay. Like I said, I’m used to people taking advantage of me when I’m drunk. Though, I just don’t understand why you had to dress me back up.” Kris was about to interrupt when Tao slipped his shirt over his head, discarding it to the side. “It’s kind of warm today too. You should’ve just left me as I was.” He chuckled.
“WAIT,” Kris gulped at the sight of the younger’s toned body before shaking his head rapidly, “You’re getting this all wrong. I didn’t touch you! All I did was help you home. You vomited on me and I didn’t have a change of clothes so…”
Tao looked at him like a lost puppy. His head was cocked to the side as he listened to Yi Fan’s explanation and it seemed to fascinate him.
“That’s weird.” Tao muttered not even bothering to apologize for soiling the other’s shirt.
“What is?” He was still shocked that Tao would think that way about him. It surprised him that the kid didn’t even care that a guy he barely knew was standing in the middle of his room trying to explain himself while he was half naked. There were odd things about Zitao that Yi Fan just couldn’t understand but it interested him a lot.
“That you didn’t take advantage of me.” The younger replied starting to sound innocent now. It seemed like he couldn’t comprehend. “That’s… really weird.” Tao slumped back down on the side of bed thinking deeply about what he just realized. He looked to the ground, shaking his head a little.
Yi Fan didn’t know what to say. Did he really expect Kris to take advantage of him? The kid really did exhaust his already anxious brain.
“Hey, I’m sorry. Maybe I should-“
“Stop.”
Kris was already about to head for the bathroom to gather his shirt when Tao cut him off. Zitao lifted his head to stare up at the blonde who was looking back at him with a questioning expression.
“You’re the first.”
Kris’s gaze softens at the younger male sitting on the edge of his bed who still looked confused and amazed at the same time. He realizes what Zitao was talking about and walks over a little concerned. He decides to forget about work for once. He didn’t need to drown himself in it anymore. Kris has got something else on his mind. It seemed like Tao needed some company for the day anyway.
“I understand. I’m not that kind of person. Zitao, is it?” Kris smiles solemnly over at him. “I see now you’ve met someone different.”
Tao laughs a little and a smile lights up Kris’s face. His thoughts revolved around how refreshing Tao’s laugh was and it seemed to put him at ease.
“You’re really something, Yi Fan.”
Kris smirked, “You remember.”
“Hey, I wasn’t that drunk.”
“Your dinner came back up on my shirt. Lies.”
Tao rolled his eyes playfully and left Kris on the bed. He moved towards the window and fished a cigarette stick out of his pocket. He felt around his pockets for his lighter before giving up.
“Where the fuck did I leave my lighter?”
Kris shook his head, “You’re out of school. You drink and smoke endlessly. What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Drugs and sex, don’t forget. Now if you don’t like what you see, you can leave you know?” Tao raised a brow trying to regain his usual personality that he lost last night when he met the blonde. He honestly didn’t want Kris to leave. He was too gorgeous to let go and there was suddenly a special place for Kris in Tao’s memory. He was going to be one of the boys he will never forget.
Tao watched as Kris frowned and pushed himself off the bed. He placed his hands in the pockets of his jeans pushing it down slightly and causing the lines on his hipbones to become more visible. Zitao was about to bite down on his lower lip but stopped before he gave himself away.
“You want me to leave?”
Fuck you, gorgeous Yi Fan. The things you do to me. You dumbfuck, of course I don't want you to leave.
Tao paused for a while before giving in and breaking from his usual tough, arrogant, bratty self. He shook his head and mumbled a stubborn ‘no.’
“I thought so.” Kris’s smirk send sparks flying around Tao’s head. “I’m going to use your bathroom if you don’t mind.” It had also been a long time before Kris had acted the way he did when he was around Tao. He was much more comfortable with him than with any other person he had just met. It was like they’ve known each other for a while now and he didn’t know how to feel about that just yet. Though, he could tell this was going to go somewhere unexpected just like the recent events. The blonde walked into the bathroom and shut the door behind him.
Fuck you, Yi Fan. Fuck you.
Tao couldn’t believe the feelings that this guy could give him. It astounded and scared him at the same time. It was like he was turning into someone he didn’t know and this seemed to be just the start.
Zitao walked over to his bedside table and lit his cigarette before he could stress himself out any more with trying to figure out what was going on inside of him. He was never like this. His routine consisted of hooking up with someone, sleeping with him, drinking and smoking. This cycle went on starting from when he had dropped out of college not too long ago.
He exhaled slowly, sending the smoke to linger a little longer in the air. Zitao watched as the white streaks of smoke encircled him. It took four sticks before Kris could emerge from behind the bathroom door thinking that Tao was done with his smoking session.
Yi Fan was about to speak when he suddenly inhaled enough smoke to send him to a coughing fit. This was something he was trying to avoid. He couldn’t stand walking on the same sidewalk as smokers let alone being in the same room full of Tao’s cigarette smoke.
“Z-Zitao… Stop.” Kris wheezed. His hand flung to his mouth covering it slightly. His eyes started to water when he couldn’t hold the string of coughs back anymore. He’s had asthma since he was a kid but it went away and came back quite often. Kris had left his medicines in the office and made a mental note to take it everywhere with him next time.
Tao quickly disposed of the stick he was currently smoking and rushed towards the other who was glued to the doorway of the bathroom after turning on some ventilation.
“Oh shit.” Tao mumbled as worry struck him. He didn’t know what hurt him so much to see Kris like this. The other continued to cough uncontrollably, whispering curses in between. The younger couldn’t help but feel really guilty. This meant that he couldn’t be with Yi Fan and smoke at the same time. That would be difficult. But whoever said that Kris would stay with him anyway?
A glass of water and a few minutes later, Kris’s coughing lessened slightly. He was able to breathe a little better and Tao never left his side.
“Okay… Now, I’m sorry.” Tao apologized softly for the first time. He couldn’t believe what he was saying. Usually everyone else apologized to him, not the other way around. Kris stared silently at the space in front of him before mumbling a silent, “It’s okay. You didn’t know.”
Tao looked over at Yi Fan’s face. Small beads of tears rested above his cheeks which formed from trying to hold in his cough. He looked a little strained and weary aside from that.
“Look at me.” Tao said quietly as he moved in closer to take a better look. Yi Fan turned his head slowly and his heart thumped hard against his chest realizing that their lips we’re only a few inches away. Tao didn’t deny in himself that a wave of nervousness washed over him as well and he almost forgot what he was going to do.
Zitao reached over the other’s face with fingers shuddering slightly and wiped the tears off the other’s cheeks.
“You scared me.” He whispered, undeniably concerned about Yi Fan. That was another first.
“I d-did?” Kris didn’t move from where he was. Their lips still lingered so painfully close that it was driving him insane. “I’m sorry… baby.” He sort of felt what his effect on Tao would be and he decided this would be a good consolation for not letting the younger man know about his condition. Although, he really didn’t have time to explain about that.
Fuck you, Yi Fan.
A tingle ran down the younger man’s spine as he instinctively bit his lower lip. Kris was right about how he affected Tao. Of course he was. It was obvious, and he could tell clearly that Zitao took as much interest in him as he did with the other.
“Forgive me, baby.” Kris didn’t know what was coming over him. He didn’t know what the other’s presence and not to mention beautiful lines was doing to him. Why was he saying these things so comfortably all of a sudden? He reached over to grasp the back of Tao’s head and closed the gap between them, lips crashing hard against one another. Fuck that, he didn't give a shit anymore. He did what he felt was right to him and he instantly loved the feeling of the other's lips on his own.
The younger felt his whole body grow weak as he grabbed onto the blonde’s still bare torso for support. Yi Fan pulled him closer and felt the warmth of Zitao’s chest as soon as their skin connected. He knew that Tao wouldn’t mind this but he wondered how much this meant to the younger male because he knew exactly how much it meant to him.
Zitao couldn’t think straight from shock and pleasure. He groaned into the kiss when the other’s teeth sunk down lightly into his lower lip. The pair lay on the bed continuing what Yi Fan started.Zitao was latched onto the other so tenderly, his hands traced circles around the other's smooth chest. Their jeans hung loosely on their hips as their legs entangled with each other’s. Kris had started to realize that something meaningful was about to happen to him at that very moment.
But the last thing that crossed Zitao’s mind that morning was…
Fuck you, Yi Fan.