My Little Prince
Title: My Little Prince Part 7
Author tikibuddy91
Characters: EXO (Yixing, Yifan, Baekhyun, Kyungsoo, Jongin)
Word Count: 21000
Rating: PG-13
Genre: AU, humor, drama
“So, this is my apartment,” Yifan lamely says as he opens the door. He unbuttons the top few buttons of his shirt as he makes himself comfortable.
Yixing gasps when he takes in the sight of colors bursting out of walls and different color tones on papers that dance around the strings that hang overhead. He knew that Yifan’s apartment was a studio but he never expected it to be so chaotically organized, with so much work posted all over. He notices the only areas paper-free are the kitchen, the bathroom door and later, both the bathroom and bedroom.
As Yixing walks around a little sluggishly, he notices that some of the prominent images are paintings of dragons, scenery landscapes, and portraits of different people. His eyes are drawn to one landscape painting where there is a unicorn sleeping with the dragon, the unicorn’s majestic white skin contrasting the rich green-scaled dragon. There is something familiar about the unicorn and the dragon, but he cannot place his tongue on it.
“This is beautiful…”
“Oh, that…” Yifan cranes his head to see where Yixing is commenting on. “I painted that last Monday. They’re modeled after the dolls from that machine when we went on a date last Friday. I saw the dragon in the machine there, and it got stuck in my head since. Same for your unicorn that you won.”
“Wow…you have good memory skills.”
“Thanks.”
Yixing then turns his focus to some portraits, and is shocked to see some of the recurring ones on the walls resembling somewhat like him.
“They look like me…”
“Erm…” Yifan scratches his nose, “that’s because they are you. In different angles.”
Yixing looks around at Yifan, looking a bit warily with his glassy eyes. “You have serious stalker issues.”
Yifan stands there, gaping. “What, no.”
“Either that or you have serious mental issues, Yifan.” Yixing’s eyes scan around the room, observing the paintings and sketches. “Wha…how is thi-“ His eyes land on several photo portraits of the female faces. A sudden idea pops in his head.
“Say…” Yixing points at Yifan, his eyes a bit unfocused. “Will you draw me like these French girls, Jack?”
“…Seriously?” Yifan is not sure if Yixing is joking or not.
“You wish,” Yixing glowers, rolling his eyes, as he continues to explore the studio. “Geez, so many paintings and drawings everywhere. Oops,” Yixing says when his leg bumps into a small coffee table. “You have such talent with those eyes and hands of yours…and that creepy mind of yours. I’m seeing more of my faces everywhere.”
Yifan nods, unsure if that was an insult or a compliment.
“So is this,” Yixing opens his arms to indicate all of the artworks Yifan has done, although he is swaying a bit, “what you have been doing all week that made you become such a hermit? Or was it something else?”
“Well…you see, I’ve been doing some painting collages, and some of these paintings of other people’s faces will be up on display. I’ve been out of town to retrieve some other popular works I’ve done from other museums. I am also bringing some of the fantasy paintings like the Dragon with the Unicorn to the art exhibit over near Museum of Metropolitan Arts. It will be happening tomorrow night.”
Yixing blinks at the said painting of the mystic animals, looking curious. “May I go see it?”
“…That was supposed to be part of the surprise, but since you asked kindly, yes, you may.” Yifan smiles at a dumbfounded Yixing. Yifan then notices how Yixing slowly starts to look guilty.
“Why the long face?”
Yixing scratches his nose as he looks to the ground. “I suppose, my behavior these past few days have been…unreasonably stupid.” He looks up, anywhere but Yifan’s eyes, suddenly landing on a sketch of an alpaca plushie doll on Yifan’s door.
“It’s your sheep!!” Yixing exclaims as he heads to the door. He hears Yifan run over to him to peer at his bedroom door. “No…that’s not a sheep. That’s an alpaca.”
“It’s not?”
“No…”
“Will you draw me a sheep then?”
“…” Yifan cocks his eyebrow. First French girls and now a sheep? ifan is not sure if Yixing is being serious or if he is quoting from The Little Prince book that Yifan himself is reading. He turns Yixing to face him, his hands on Yixing’s shoulders. He notices how Yixing’s eyes are a bit unfocused.
“Yixing-ah…you really need to sleep soon. You’re tired and a bit loopy on the head. You’ve had a long night.” Yixing watches Yifan as he talks, but somewhere in the middle of Yifan’s lecture, his eyes dawdle over to see the alpaca doll resting on Yifan’s dresser.
“Heeeyy, Ace!” Yixing smiles and moves over to pick up the alpaca plushie doll. “Ace is a sheep…wait, a sheep with a long neck…and…long legs. This isn’t a sheep, what the heck is this?” Yixing studies the doll
Yifan facepalms, as he replies for the second time. “It’s. An. Alpaca.”
“Oh. Well how are you, Ace? How I’ve missed your face. Mommy’s been missing you for some time. Lay’s been kind of lonely, and he wanted to play with you. Do you miss Lay and Mommy, Ace?”
Yifan’s ears pick up at the change of tone that Yixing is using towards Ace, and lowers his hand from his face. It was gentle, sincere…it was how Yixing really sounded like, and the low crooning from Yixing’s voice just melted Yifan’s heart. His heart starts to flutter at the sight of Yixing treating Ace like a baby, talking to him like he was a real kid. But then it shatters completely when Yifan finds himself as the target of Yixing’s heated glare
“But Daddy has been a bad man. He’s been cheating on me. With the Happy, Deep-Voiced Virus man.”
Yifan sighs, walking over to Yixing. “Yixing-ah…I’m sorry. Will you ever forgive me? I have been a horrible hus-…person to you.” Yixing ignores him, turning away from him. Yifan shakes his head and hugs Yixing from behind.
Yifan looks down over Yixing’s shoulder to see Ace cradled in Yixing’s arms, and he lifts one of his hands to pet his plushie doll. “I think Ace wants us to make up, what do you think, Xingxing-tuo? He doesn’t like it when Mommy and Daddy are mad at each other.” He feels Yixing tensing under his touch as he wraps his arms around Yixing’s torso.
A moment of silence hangs over the couple, as Yifan waits to see Yixing’s response.
Yixing takes out Ace from his arms, and places it back on the shelf where it belongs. He turns around in Yifan’s arms and stares up at him. Yifan can sense the nervousness in Yixing’s body and eyes, as Yixing’s eyes stares at his lips, and Yixing bites on his bottom lip, before he inches closer. Yifan smiles to himself as he bends down a little, leaning closer as well.
When their lips meet, nothing ever compares. It is different from the elevator kiss, and different from their ‘first date’ kiss. No, this time, it is a sweet and lovingly kiss
Patient and firm lips, not battling for dominance…but working together in harmony…
Yifan can feel Yixing relaxing once more in his arms. Yixing brings his arms up to connect behind Yifan’s neck, deepening the kiss. Yifan’s arms have not moved from their position, still wrapped around Yixing’s lower back. Yifan breaks his hold and trails one hand upward to cradle the back of Yixing’s head, as his other hand continues to fully wrap Yixing’s lower back, pulling Yixing closer to him.
Moans get louder as Yifan and Yixing open their mouths to explore each other’s caverns, their tongues dancing, and their noses grazing each other’s cheeks. Yixing shivers when he feels Yifan’s tongue slowly caressing his own tongue, and when Yifan’s hand is in his hair, raking and tangling itself
Yixing reacts with his arms tugging at Yifan to come closer. They pull away to get some air as Yifan pulls back Yixing’s head, exposing Yixing’s neck. Yixing lets out a shuddery breath when he feels Yifan’s breath ghosting along his jawline and he feels lips on his Adam’s apple. Yixing lets out a moan and tries to push himself up.
There is a scent of want…of desire…in the air.
Yifan gets the message and pulls his lips away from Yixing’s neck. He lowers his hands to Yixing’s butt, grabbing at it to hoist Yixing up. Yixing gasps and quickly wraps his legs around Yifan’s waist, and he finds himself being carried to Yifan’s bed.
Yifan sits down on his bed, a squeak emitting from the mattress due to the extra weight of Yixing atop Yifan.
“Oh god…Yifaaan-mmm…I shouldn’t be - ah! - doing th-nnnghhh...” Yixing moans as Yifan continues to plant a trail of kisses along Yixing’s jawline and he nips at Yixing’s sensitive earlobe. Yixing lets out a sharp exhale before he sees Yifan’s exposed collarbone peeking out from his dress shirt, and he groans at the sight of it
Yixing places soft kisses on Yifan’s neck, licking at the collarbone. He nips a mark on Yifan’s neck. As a response, Yifan lets a low growl in Yixing’s ear, shivering Yixing to the bones.
“Yixing. A hickey?… Who knew you’d be territorial?”
“Bite me, Yifan…” Yixing intends it to be a sarcastic retort, but he does not expect Yifan to take it literally.
“With pleasure…” Yifan murmurs against Yixing’s ear, before he plants a bite mark on Yixing’s neck, making Yixing gasp in pain.
Yixing pulls away from Yifan, his face showing an expression of shock and hurt. “You bastard…everyone will notice!”
“I want the whole world to know that you’re mine, Yixing…and mine alone.”
Looking down at the buttons of Yifan’s shirt, Yixing blushes at the burning intensity from Yifan’s eyes.
“So am I forgiven? Have we made up?” Yixing brings his eyes up to Yifan’s face before a smile creeps in, and he chuckles. He fiddles with Yifan’s collar.
“Silly Yifan…you were already forgiven the moment I walked into your apartment.”
- - -
Friday greets Yixing with a headache…a slightly buzzed headache, but not enough to be a hangover.
Yixing groans when he sits up from the bed. Wait…this is not my bed. This is most definitely not my room.
“Morning, Yixing-ah.”
Yixing turns around to see Yifan sitting up in their bed, with his pajama clothes, his flannel shirt unbuttoned to expose his abs and chest. Yifan is also reading the newspaper, his glasses halfway on his nose. Yixing looks down at his clothes and he sees that he is only wearing a white undershirt and his own boxers.
Oh man, did we do something I don’t remember doing last night? Yixing freaks out. He winces when he feels an intense tingly sensation in his head.
“Yes and no, Yixing-ah.” Yixing stares at Yifan with a bewildered look.
“Yes, we kissed but no we did not have sex. I promised.” Yifan folds his newspaper and places it aside. “You were a little drunk last night and I had to take you home. You went into the sleep of the dead after we kissed on my lap.”
“B-b-but…your clothes. Why is it like that?” Yixing glances at Yifan’s chest, blushing at the sight of deliciously sinful exposure
Yifan smirks. “It was hot earlier this morning, so I just had to take my shirt off at that time, but now it’s a bit cold. I took off your shoes and outer clothes, wouldn’t have you sleep uncomfortably with them on.”
Yixing glances at the pillow where his head was on just a few minutes ago. “…I see…” He glances at the clock. 9AM.
Yixing gasps loudly in panic. He looks to the window above Yifan’s bed. It is snowing. “LIBRORUM!”
Yifan picks up his phone from his nightstand. “I called Luhan. Don’t worry, he wants to give you the day and the weekend off, so you’re not to come back until Monday.” Yixing stares at him with wide eyes.
“And…Kyun-“
“Baekhyun and Chanyeol already informed your roommates that you were spending the night at my place after…having some drinks.” Yifan puts his cell phone away.
“Oh, geez.” Yixing buries his head in his hands. “They’ll think we had sex.”
“They won’t. Neither of us was moaning that loud.”
“So you’re implying there was still some moaning involved…”
“I wouldn’t deny it, Yixing-ah.”
Yixing falls back into bed, the memory of last night slowly returning back to him. He remembers getting upset, heading to the bar…seeing Baekhyun…seeing Yifan.
“Oh crap.”
“Hmm?” Yifan is watching him.
“I told…Baekhyun…that I thought you and Chanyeol were having sex.”
“Ah, that was already cleared up. He forgives you for misunderstanding the situation; it was a silly thing to deduce that idea, Yixing.” Yixing bites his lip as he ponders on the memories from last night.
“Oh god, the elevator. Great, you now know my fear of elevators…”
Yifan chuckles. “Nothing to be embarrassed about.”
“…I was mean and hysterical to you, wasn’t I?” Yixing says timidly, looking up to meet Yifan’s eyes.
Yifan shrugs. “Some things were needed to be let out, you couldn’t keep it inside anyway.”
Yixing gulps as he remembers the moment when he felt something for Yifan, something so powerful and desiring that night. He searches for Ace, and the memory of the kiss comes back to him.
“We really did kiss…” Yixing brings his hand to his lips.
Yifan brushes a lock of Yixing’s hair to tuck it behind Yixing’s ear. “It’s not what you wanted?”
Yixing blushes at the gentle affection behind the gesture and the softness in Yifan’s eyes. “…Sort of.”
Yifan smiles. “You know, I really do like you, from the moment I first saw you at the subway.”
Yixing hides his face and squirms. “I looked like a complete fool, blushing and acting like a silly girl staring at some football jock in high school.”
Yifan bursts out laughing. “Did you think that when you were staring at me that morning?”
“…I might have?” Yixing mutters into the pillow, inhaling a faint scent of Yifan’s, and he hears Yifan chuckling. He senses Yifan’s body moving closer and then Yifan’s lips on his right temple.
“Does that mean you like me?”
Yixing cannot bring himself to say yes, so he nods instead. “A lot…” he mutters.
“Obviously, because you called yourself ‘Mommy’ to my Ace, and you even called me ‘Daddy’, too. I swear my heart melted at the sight of you holding my alpaca doll and you were treating him like he was your long-lost child.” Yifan chortles as he keeps a safe distance from Yixing, when he sees Yixing’s head shoot up from the pillow with an indignant expression, in case Yixing thrashes out at him.
“Hyung?? Are you in there?” There are some knocks on the door, Kyungsoo’s voice clearly heard. Yifan and Yixing glance to the direction of the shout, and back at each other. Yifan buttons up his shirt casually before he leaves with a wink at Yixing to answer the door
Yixing mutters to himself, rubbing his face. He searches for his clothes and puts them on before he follows Yifan out.
“Hyung, there you are!” Kyungsoo and Jongin are waiting outside the apartment, dressed warmly for the snowy weather outside. Yixing notices that they do not want to step inside after seeing how hectic Yifan’s studio apartment is
“Guess wha…” Kyungsoo trails off as he stares unfocusedly somewhere near Yixing’s neck. He and Jongin look at each other before they look back at Yixing.
“What?”
“Uhm…” Jongin glances at Yifan and notices the red mark on the left side of Yifan’s neck, still miraculously unnoticed from Yixing. “Nothing, must’ve have been a trick on our eyes, right, hyung?” Jongin nudges Kyungsoo with his elbow.
“Yeah! Um…Anyway! We got two tickets from Yifan-hyung here to see his art exhibition tonight! He’s so kind to inform us that he wants me, you, Jonginnie, Chanyeol, and Baekhyun to come look at it! There will lots of people there tonight! Think of all the hors d’oeuvres!”
Yixing smiles at Kyungsoo’s excitement when he notices Jongin looking down admiringly at his hyung and then planting a peck on Kyungsoo’s temple.
“Hyung, I think you already know, but Kyungsoo-hyung and I…we’re together now,” Jongin smiles meekly at Yixing.
“Is that so?” Yixing feigns ignorance before shooting a smile in their direction. “I knew you two would work it out in the end, it’s about time.” Yixing catches Yifan’s stare in his direction and he glances at Yifan.
“Well, now that we see that you’re okay, hyung, we’ll best be on our way. I’m gonna go grocery shopping, and Jongin’s coming with me, since Christmas is coming around the corner. We’ll see you guys over at the MoMA! Thanks again, Yifan-hyung!” Kyungsoo and Jongin wave to Yifan and Yixing before taking their leave.
“See you guys later tonight!” Yixing hurries over to the entrance to shout at Kyungsoo and Jongin. He hears Yifan chuckling and arms enveloping around him before Yifan’s chin rests on his shoulder.
“So…the three of you seem pretty close.”
“Yeah…I guess you could say that.”
“They know you’re mine, though.”
“What, why?”
“That’s for me to know, and you to find out. Anyway, I have to get going soon. I need to check on my art exhibit in its final stage of preparation before its display tonight. By the way, you and I, we’re going for a stroll tomorrow night. I’d like to take you ice-skating, if you don’t mind. Then Sunday, we’re gonna go Christmas shopping.”
Yixing feels Yifan’s lips on his neck before they leave him, and he watches Yifan’s retreating back as Yifan heads to the bathroom. He smiles to himself, feeling giddy.
- - -
When Yifan leaves to go oversee his final preparations, Yixing goes back to his own apartment and settles down, waiting for time to pass by until it was time to get ready for the art exhibit
When Yixing is getting ready in the bathroom, he notices something is off about his neck. He takes a look at the faint big mark and stares at it for a long time before realization strikes him on the head.
Is that…a hickey? Yixing pales. Kyungsoo and Jongin…they saw it, that’s what they were staring at. Oh great, how will I attend the exhibit tonight without this showing??
- - -
“Hyung! We’re over here!”
Yixing looks around to see Kyungsoo and Jongin waving, with Chanyeol and Baekhyun standing nearby. Yifan was escorting Yixing around the museum, making small talk with different people and sampling the hors d’oeuvres, when they hear Kyungsoo’s shout. Yifan is wearing his formal attire while Yixing is wearing a tan turtleneck under a blue cardigan with black pants. When they approach the couples, they can see Kyungsoo and Jongin wearing purple and dark pink dress shirts with tan pants, while Chanyeol and Baekhyun are wearing blue and green dress shirts with black pants.
“Good evening, all of you,” Yifan greets the quartet, amidst the sea of people huddling and walking through the museum.
A murmur of “good evenings” reply back, and Kyungsoo chirps, “Your work is quite amazing! I love the painting with the unicorn and dragon, and that other painting of the elements with the related mystical animals. It’s quite astounding, Mr. Wu!” The other four chuckle at his energy.
“Thank you very much, Mr. Do.” Yifan makes a slight bow to Kyungsoo with crinkling eyes and an upward curve of his lips.
“Welcome!” Yixing and Yifan laugh at Kyungsoo’s frank reply.
“Now, if you don’t mind, I have a business to attend to, in terms of revealing my secret project to the audience tonight. I’ll be back.” Yifan excuses himself as he moves away from the group.
“Yixing-hyung!”
Yixing looks around to see Jongdae walking up to him and giving him a hug. Jongdae is dressed up very nicely in his red dress shirt and grey pants, with Joonmyeon trailing behind him, wearing a green cardigan and brown pants.
“Ah, Kyungsoo-yah! Thought I saw you around here!” Jongdae goes to hug Kyungsoo and shakes hands with Jongin. “Jonginnie-yah, heard you finally stood up for yourself and made him yours. Way to go, kid. Hey there, Chanyeol and Baekhyun!”
“Hello, Joonmyeon, how are you?” Yixing acknowledges Jongdae’s boyfriend, who has been standing out of the way, watching Jongdae with a smile
“Oh, I’m doing very well, thank you. Business’s slow these days, I’ve heard?” Yixing knows Joonmyeon is referring to Jongdae and Yixing’s workplace. Yixing shrugs with a ghost of a smile.
When Yixing makes small talk with him, Joonmyeon easily converses back with an angelic grin after every reply. Jongdae welcomes his boyfriend to talk with the group, pulling him in by the hands, and all seven of them are chatting away when they hear another shout.
“Yah! Don’t forget us!” Luhan’s voice comes out of nowhere and Yixing and Jongdae turn to see Luhan and Minseok walking towards them, with Sehun and Zitao following behind. “Yixing, dangit. We wanted to keep this a surprise for you but you were too stubborn and Yifan let spill to you that there’s an art exhibit tonight, and that there’s someth-“
“SHHH!!” Chanyeol shushes. “Yixing doesn’t know about that part!” Jongdae is in the arms of Joonmyeon, but he makes a shushing gesture with a finger to his lips.
“…Oh.” Luhan blinks. “Oh, he hasn’t told you yet.”
“Told me what?”
“Oh nothing…” Luhan says airily.
The eleven of them are now forming a big and tight circle, conversing about many topics brought up. Not too soon after Luhan and his group joined Yixing and the others, there is a booming voice announcing the crowd to move to the specific area of the museum for a revealing of Kris’s latest work. Everyone moves to the area, and waits in front of a big curtained wall. There are murmurs of excitement and chatter as to what lies behind the curtain
Suddenly, a sound of a throat clearing is heard through the microphone and everyone hushes.
“Hello, everyone, good evening. My name is Kris Wu, and I am pleased that you all could come tonight to view my art exhibit. What I have here tonight is a personal project of mine that I have done recently, and it is all thanks to a muse of mine that I met last week.”
Yixing’s ears perk up at the mentions of ‘muse’ and ‘last week’, and he looks at Yifan. What does he have to do with Yifan’s work? hey are making eye contact and neither dares to break it as Yifan continues his speech.
“You see, this muse, he gave me an idea of what it means to be an angel in the real world; to be gentle and to be pure, to be selfless and to be kind.” Yifan breaks the contact and looks around at the audience in front of him
“He has befriended random people in the metros, and he shows his every self that some of us may not be able to show. The random acts of kindness that he does to people everyday, I’ve never seen anyone like him. Before I knew who he was, I only knew him by face in the metro for weeks, often lucky to find him, often not so lucky. He would be perfect to be one of the role models for the world; think of the difference it could make when the people in the world are kind and fair every single day
“Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, my latest work, Angel.” Yifan makes a flourish of his hand towards the curtain. All eyes are on the curtain as it drops to expose a large collage of small portraits of different people, of different tones of black, grey and white, all forming to create a head shot outline of a majestic angel with wings. There are murmurs and gasps from the crowd.
Kyungsoo gasps, the loudest of the eleven. “Is that your face up there, Yixing-hyung?”
Yixing searches for his face in the small portraits, when all of a sudden, when he starts to look at it in the bigger picture, he sees his face on the angel’s body as clear as it can be. The small portraits of different people mark the strikingly similar outline and features of Yixing’s face, and Yixing is left breathless. He looks around at his group, who are all looking back at him, astonished. They had known it would be a surprise for Yixing, but they did not expect this kind of artwork where their friend’s face is right there on the wall, looking in the distance. Yixing does not register Yifan’s voice calling his name to come up and join him, until Jongdae and Zitao pushes Yixing gently towards Yifan.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, my muse. His name is Zhang Yixing. He works at Librorum, a bookstore co-owned by my cousin and his boyfriend. He is my neighbor, but most importantly…he’s the angel in my world…he’s my angel.”
Yixing cannot believe what he is hearing. Yifan has just confessed to the world that Yixing is his.
Author tikibuddy91
Characters: EXO (Yixing, Yifan, Baekhyun, Kyungsoo, Jongin)
Word Count: 21000
Rating: PG-13
Genre: AU, humor, drama
“So, this is my apartment,” Yifan lamely says as he opens the door. He unbuttons the top few buttons of his shirt as he makes himself comfortable.
Yixing gasps when he takes in the sight of colors bursting out of walls and different color tones on papers that dance around the strings that hang overhead. He knew that Yifan’s apartment was a studio but he never expected it to be so chaotically organized, with so much work posted all over. He notices the only areas paper-free are the kitchen, the bathroom door and later, both the bathroom and bedroom.
As Yixing walks around a little sluggishly, he notices that some of the prominent images are paintings of dragons, scenery landscapes, and portraits of different people. His eyes are drawn to one landscape painting where there is a unicorn sleeping with the dragon, the unicorn’s majestic white skin contrasting the rich green-scaled dragon. There is something familiar about the unicorn and the dragon, but he cannot place his tongue on it.
“This is beautiful…”
“Oh, that…” Yifan cranes his head to see where Yixing is commenting on. “I painted that last Monday. They’re modeled after the dolls from that machine when we went on a date last Friday. I saw the dragon in the machine there, and it got stuck in my head since. Same for your unicorn that you won.”
“Wow…you have good memory skills.”
“Thanks.”
Yixing then turns his focus to some portraits, and is shocked to see some of the recurring ones on the walls resembling somewhat like him.
“They look like me…”
“Erm…” Yifan scratches his nose, “that’s because they are you. In different angles.”
Yixing looks around at Yifan, looking a bit warily with his glassy eyes. “You have serious stalker issues.”
Yifan stands there, gaping. “What, no.”
“Either that or you have serious mental issues, Yifan.” Yixing’s eyes scan around the room, observing the paintings and sketches. “Wha…how is thi-“ His eyes land on several photo portraits of the female faces. A sudden idea pops in his head.
“Say…” Yixing points at Yifan, his eyes a bit unfocused. “Will you draw me like these French girls, Jack?”
“…Seriously?” Yifan is not sure if Yixing is joking or not.
“You wish,” Yixing glowers, rolling his eyes, as he continues to explore the studio. “Geez, so many paintings and drawings everywhere. Oops,” Yixing says when his leg bumps into a small coffee table. “You have such talent with those eyes and hands of yours…and that creepy mind of yours. I’m seeing more of my faces everywhere.”
Yifan nods, unsure if that was an insult or a compliment.
“So is this,” Yixing opens his arms to indicate all of the artworks Yifan has done, although he is swaying a bit, “what you have been doing all week that made you become such a hermit? Or was it something else?”
“Well…you see, I’ve been doing some painting collages, and some of these paintings of other people’s faces will be up on display. I’ve been out of town to retrieve some other popular works I’ve done from other museums. I am also bringing some of the fantasy paintings like the Dragon with the Unicorn to the art exhibit over near Museum of Metropolitan Arts. It will be happening tomorrow night.”
Yixing blinks at the said painting of the mystic animals, looking curious. “May I go see it?”
“…That was supposed to be part of the surprise, but since you asked kindly, yes, you may.” Yifan smiles at a dumbfounded Yixing. Yifan then notices how Yixing slowly starts to look guilty.
“Why the long face?”
Yixing scratches his nose as he looks to the ground. “I suppose, my behavior these past few days have been…unreasonably stupid.” He looks up, anywhere but Yifan’s eyes, suddenly landing on a sketch of an alpaca plushie doll on Yifan’s door.
“It’s your sheep!!” Yixing exclaims as he heads to the door. He hears Yifan run over to him to peer at his bedroom door. “No…that’s not a sheep. That’s an alpaca.”
“It’s not?”
“No…”
“Will you draw me a sheep then?”
“…” Yifan cocks his eyebrow. First French girls and now a sheep? ifan is not sure if Yixing is being serious or if he is quoting from The Little Prince book that Yifan himself is reading. He turns Yixing to face him, his hands on Yixing’s shoulders. He notices how Yixing’s eyes are a bit unfocused.
“Yixing-ah…you really need to sleep soon. You’re tired and a bit loopy on the head. You’ve had a long night.” Yixing watches Yifan as he talks, but somewhere in the middle of Yifan’s lecture, his eyes dawdle over to see the alpaca doll resting on Yifan’s dresser.
“Heeeyy, Ace!” Yixing smiles and moves over to pick up the alpaca plushie doll. “Ace is a sheep…wait, a sheep with a long neck…and…long legs. This isn’t a sheep, what the heck is this?” Yixing studies the doll
Yifan facepalms, as he replies for the second time. “It’s. An. Alpaca.”
“Oh. Well how are you, Ace? How I’ve missed your face. Mommy’s been missing you for some time. Lay’s been kind of lonely, and he wanted to play with you. Do you miss Lay and Mommy, Ace?”
Yifan’s ears pick up at the change of tone that Yixing is using towards Ace, and lowers his hand from his face. It was gentle, sincere…it was how Yixing really sounded like, and the low crooning from Yixing’s voice just melted Yifan’s heart. His heart starts to flutter at the sight of Yixing treating Ace like a baby, talking to him like he was a real kid. But then it shatters completely when Yifan finds himself as the target of Yixing’s heated glare
“But Daddy has been a bad man. He’s been cheating on me. With the Happy, Deep-Voiced Virus man.”
Yifan sighs, walking over to Yixing. “Yixing-ah…I’m sorry. Will you ever forgive me? I have been a horrible hus-…person to you.” Yixing ignores him, turning away from him. Yifan shakes his head and hugs Yixing from behind.
Yifan looks down over Yixing’s shoulder to see Ace cradled in Yixing’s arms, and he lifts one of his hands to pet his plushie doll. “I think Ace wants us to make up, what do you think, Xingxing-tuo? He doesn’t like it when Mommy and Daddy are mad at each other.” He feels Yixing tensing under his touch as he wraps his arms around Yixing’s torso.
A moment of silence hangs over the couple, as Yifan waits to see Yixing’s response.
Yixing takes out Ace from his arms, and places it back on the shelf where it belongs. He turns around in Yifan’s arms and stares up at him. Yifan can sense the nervousness in Yixing’s body and eyes, as Yixing’s eyes stares at his lips, and Yixing bites on his bottom lip, before he inches closer. Yifan smiles to himself as he bends down a little, leaning closer as well.
When their lips meet, nothing ever compares. It is different from the elevator kiss, and different from their ‘first date’ kiss. No, this time, it is a sweet and lovingly kiss
Patient and firm lips, not battling for dominance…but working together in harmony…
Yifan can feel Yixing relaxing once more in his arms. Yixing brings his arms up to connect behind Yifan’s neck, deepening the kiss. Yifan’s arms have not moved from their position, still wrapped around Yixing’s lower back. Yifan breaks his hold and trails one hand upward to cradle the back of Yixing’s head, as his other hand continues to fully wrap Yixing’s lower back, pulling Yixing closer to him.
Moans get louder as Yifan and Yixing open their mouths to explore each other’s caverns, their tongues dancing, and their noses grazing each other’s cheeks. Yixing shivers when he feels Yifan’s tongue slowly caressing his own tongue, and when Yifan’s hand is in his hair, raking and tangling itself
Yixing reacts with his arms tugging at Yifan to come closer. They pull away to get some air as Yifan pulls back Yixing’s head, exposing Yixing’s neck. Yixing lets out a shuddery breath when he feels Yifan’s breath ghosting along his jawline and he feels lips on his Adam’s apple. Yixing lets out a moan and tries to push himself up.
There is a scent of want…of desire…in the air.
Yifan gets the message and pulls his lips away from Yixing’s neck. He lowers his hands to Yixing’s butt, grabbing at it to hoist Yixing up. Yixing gasps and quickly wraps his legs around Yifan’s waist, and he finds himself being carried to Yifan’s bed.
Yifan sits down on his bed, a squeak emitting from the mattress due to the extra weight of Yixing atop Yifan.
“Oh god…Yifaaan-mmm…I shouldn’t be - ah! - doing th-nnnghhh...” Yixing moans as Yifan continues to plant a trail of kisses along Yixing’s jawline and he nips at Yixing’s sensitive earlobe. Yixing lets out a sharp exhale before he sees Yifan’s exposed collarbone peeking out from his dress shirt, and he groans at the sight of it
Yixing places soft kisses on Yifan’s neck, licking at the collarbone. He nips a mark on Yifan’s neck. As a response, Yifan lets a low growl in Yixing’s ear, shivering Yixing to the bones.
“Yixing. A hickey?… Who knew you’d be territorial?”
“Bite me, Yifan…” Yixing intends it to be a sarcastic retort, but he does not expect Yifan to take it literally.
“With pleasure…” Yifan murmurs against Yixing’s ear, before he plants a bite mark on Yixing’s neck, making Yixing gasp in pain.
Yixing pulls away from Yifan, his face showing an expression of shock and hurt. “You bastard…everyone will notice!”
“I want the whole world to know that you’re mine, Yixing…and mine alone.”
Looking down at the buttons of Yifan’s shirt, Yixing blushes at the burning intensity from Yifan’s eyes.
“So am I forgiven? Have we made up?” Yixing brings his eyes up to Yifan’s face before a smile creeps in, and he chuckles. He fiddles with Yifan’s collar.
“Silly Yifan…you were already forgiven the moment I walked into your apartment.”
- - -
Friday greets Yixing with a headache…a slightly buzzed headache, but not enough to be a hangover.
Yixing groans when he sits up from the bed. Wait…this is not my bed. This is most definitely not my room.
“Morning, Yixing-ah.”
Yixing turns around to see Yifan sitting up in their bed, with his pajama clothes, his flannel shirt unbuttoned to expose his abs and chest. Yifan is also reading the newspaper, his glasses halfway on his nose. Yixing looks down at his clothes and he sees that he is only wearing a white undershirt and his own boxers.
Oh man, did we do something I don’t remember doing last night? Yixing freaks out. He winces when he feels an intense tingly sensation in his head.
“Yes and no, Yixing-ah.” Yixing stares at Yifan with a bewildered look.
“Yes, we kissed but no we did not have sex. I promised.” Yifan folds his newspaper and places it aside. “You were a little drunk last night and I had to take you home. You went into the sleep of the dead after we kissed on my lap.”
“B-b-but…your clothes. Why is it like that?” Yixing glances at Yifan’s chest, blushing at the sight of deliciously sinful exposure
Yifan smirks. “It was hot earlier this morning, so I just had to take my shirt off at that time, but now it’s a bit cold. I took off your shoes and outer clothes, wouldn’t have you sleep uncomfortably with them on.”
Yixing glances at the pillow where his head was on just a few minutes ago. “…I see…” He glances at the clock. 9AM.
Yixing gasps loudly in panic. He looks to the window above Yifan’s bed. It is snowing. “LIBRORUM!”
Yifan picks up his phone from his nightstand. “I called Luhan. Don’t worry, he wants to give you the day and the weekend off, so you’re not to come back until Monday.” Yixing stares at him with wide eyes.
“And…Kyun-“
“Baekhyun and Chanyeol already informed your roommates that you were spending the night at my place after…having some drinks.” Yifan puts his cell phone away.
“Oh, geez.” Yixing buries his head in his hands. “They’ll think we had sex.”
“They won’t. Neither of us was moaning that loud.”
“So you’re implying there was still some moaning involved…”
“I wouldn’t deny it, Yixing-ah.”
Yixing falls back into bed, the memory of last night slowly returning back to him. He remembers getting upset, heading to the bar…seeing Baekhyun…seeing Yifan.
“Oh crap.”
“Hmm?” Yifan is watching him.
“I told…Baekhyun…that I thought you and Chanyeol were having sex.”
“Ah, that was already cleared up. He forgives you for misunderstanding the situation; it was a silly thing to deduce that idea, Yixing.” Yixing bites his lip as he ponders on the memories from last night.
“Oh god, the elevator. Great, you now know my fear of elevators…”
Yifan chuckles. “Nothing to be embarrassed about.”
“…I was mean and hysterical to you, wasn’t I?” Yixing says timidly, looking up to meet Yifan’s eyes.
Yifan shrugs. “Some things were needed to be let out, you couldn’t keep it inside anyway.”
Yixing gulps as he remembers the moment when he felt something for Yifan, something so powerful and desiring that night. He searches for Ace, and the memory of the kiss comes back to him.
“We really did kiss…” Yixing brings his hand to his lips.
Yifan brushes a lock of Yixing’s hair to tuck it behind Yixing’s ear. “It’s not what you wanted?”
Yixing blushes at the gentle affection behind the gesture and the softness in Yifan’s eyes. “…Sort of.”
Yifan smiles. “You know, I really do like you, from the moment I first saw you at the subway.”
Yixing hides his face and squirms. “I looked like a complete fool, blushing and acting like a silly girl staring at some football jock in high school.”
Yifan bursts out laughing. “Did you think that when you were staring at me that morning?”
“…I might have?” Yixing mutters into the pillow, inhaling a faint scent of Yifan’s, and he hears Yifan chuckling. He senses Yifan’s body moving closer and then Yifan’s lips on his right temple.
“Does that mean you like me?”
Yixing cannot bring himself to say yes, so he nods instead. “A lot…” he mutters.
“Obviously, because you called yourself ‘Mommy’ to my Ace, and you even called me ‘Daddy’, too. I swear my heart melted at the sight of you holding my alpaca doll and you were treating him like he was your long-lost child.” Yifan chortles as he keeps a safe distance from Yixing, when he sees Yixing’s head shoot up from the pillow with an indignant expression, in case Yixing thrashes out at him.
“Hyung?? Are you in there?” There are some knocks on the door, Kyungsoo’s voice clearly heard. Yifan and Yixing glance to the direction of the shout, and back at each other. Yifan buttons up his shirt casually before he leaves with a wink at Yixing to answer the door
Yixing mutters to himself, rubbing his face. He searches for his clothes and puts them on before he follows Yifan out.
“Hyung, there you are!” Kyungsoo and Jongin are waiting outside the apartment, dressed warmly for the snowy weather outside. Yixing notices that they do not want to step inside after seeing how hectic Yifan’s studio apartment is
“Guess wha…” Kyungsoo trails off as he stares unfocusedly somewhere near Yixing’s neck. He and Jongin look at each other before they look back at Yixing.
“What?”
“Uhm…” Jongin glances at Yifan and notices the red mark on the left side of Yifan’s neck, still miraculously unnoticed from Yixing. “Nothing, must’ve have been a trick on our eyes, right, hyung?” Jongin nudges Kyungsoo with his elbow.
“Yeah! Um…Anyway! We got two tickets from Yifan-hyung here to see his art exhibition tonight! He’s so kind to inform us that he wants me, you, Jonginnie, Chanyeol, and Baekhyun to come look at it! There will lots of people there tonight! Think of all the hors d’oeuvres!”
Yixing smiles at Kyungsoo’s excitement when he notices Jongin looking down admiringly at his hyung and then planting a peck on Kyungsoo’s temple.
“Hyung, I think you already know, but Kyungsoo-hyung and I…we’re together now,” Jongin smiles meekly at Yixing.
“Is that so?” Yixing feigns ignorance before shooting a smile in their direction. “I knew you two would work it out in the end, it’s about time.” Yixing catches Yifan’s stare in his direction and he glances at Yifan.
“Well, now that we see that you’re okay, hyung, we’ll best be on our way. I’m gonna go grocery shopping, and Jongin’s coming with me, since Christmas is coming around the corner. We’ll see you guys over at the MoMA! Thanks again, Yifan-hyung!” Kyungsoo and Jongin wave to Yifan and Yixing before taking their leave.
“See you guys later tonight!” Yixing hurries over to the entrance to shout at Kyungsoo and Jongin. He hears Yifan chuckling and arms enveloping around him before Yifan’s chin rests on his shoulder.
“So…the three of you seem pretty close.”
“Yeah…I guess you could say that.”
“They know you’re mine, though.”
“What, why?”
“That’s for me to know, and you to find out. Anyway, I have to get going soon. I need to check on my art exhibit in its final stage of preparation before its display tonight. By the way, you and I, we’re going for a stroll tomorrow night. I’d like to take you ice-skating, if you don’t mind. Then Sunday, we’re gonna go Christmas shopping.”
Yixing feels Yifan’s lips on his neck before they leave him, and he watches Yifan’s retreating back as Yifan heads to the bathroom. He smiles to himself, feeling giddy.
- - -
When Yifan leaves to go oversee his final preparations, Yixing goes back to his own apartment and settles down, waiting for time to pass by until it was time to get ready for the art exhibit
When Yixing is getting ready in the bathroom, he notices something is off about his neck. He takes a look at the faint big mark and stares at it for a long time before realization strikes him on the head.
Is that…a hickey? Yixing pales. Kyungsoo and Jongin…they saw it, that’s what they were staring at. Oh great, how will I attend the exhibit tonight without this showing??
- - -
“Hyung! We’re over here!”
Yixing looks around to see Kyungsoo and Jongin waving, with Chanyeol and Baekhyun standing nearby. Yifan was escorting Yixing around the museum, making small talk with different people and sampling the hors d’oeuvres, when they hear Kyungsoo’s shout. Yifan is wearing his formal attire while Yixing is wearing a tan turtleneck under a blue cardigan with black pants. When they approach the couples, they can see Kyungsoo and Jongin wearing purple and dark pink dress shirts with tan pants, while Chanyeol and Baekhyun are wearing blue and green dress shirts with black pants.
“Good evening, all of you,” Yifan greets the quartet, amidst the sea of people huddling and walking through the museum.
A murmur of “good evenings” reply back, and Kyungsoo chirps, “Your work is quite amazing! I love the painting with the unicorn and dragon, and that other painting of the elements with the related mystical animals. It’s quite astounding, Mr. Wu!” The other four chuckle at his energy.
“Thank you very much, Mr. Do.” Yifan makes a slight bow to Kyungsoo with crinkling eyes and an upward curve of his lips.
“Welcome!” Yixing and Yifan laugh at Kyungsoo’s frank reply.
“Now, if you don’t mind, I have a business to attend to, in terms of revealing my secret project to the audience tonight. I’ll be back.” Yifan excuses himself as he moves away from the group.
“Yixing-hyung!”
Yixing looks around to see Jongdae walking up to him and giving him a hug. Jongdae is dressed up very nicely in his red dress shirt and grey pants, with Joonmyeon trailing behind him, wearing a green cardigan and brown pants.
“Ah, Kyungsoo-yah! Thought I saw you around here!” Jongdae goes to hug Kyungsoo and shakes hands with Jongin. “Jonginnie-yah, heard you finally stood up for yourself and made him yours. Way to go, kid. Hey there, Chanyeol and Baekhyun!”
“Hello, Joonmyeon, how are you?” Yixing acknowledges Jongdae’s boyfriend, who has been standing out of the way, watching Jongdae with a smile
“Oh, I’m doing very well, thank you. Business’s slow these days, I’ve heard?” Yixing knows Joonmyeon is referring to Jongdae and Yixing’s workplace. Yixing shrugs with a ghost of a smile.
When Yixing makes small talk with him, Joonmyeon easily converses back with an angelic grin after every reply. Jongdae welcomes his boyfriend to talk with the group, pulling him in by the hands, and all seven of them are chatting away when they hear another shout.
“Yah! Don’t forget us!” Luhan’s voice comes out of nowhere and Yixing and Jongdae turn to see Luhan and Minseok walking towards them, with Sehun and Zitao following behind. “Yixing, dangit. We wanted to keep this a surprise for you but you were too stubborn and Yifan let spill to you that there’s an art exhibit tonight, and that there’s someth-“
“SHHH!!” Chanyeol shushes. “Yixing doesn’t know about that part!” Jongdae is in the arms of Joonmyeon, but he makes a shushing gesture with a finger to his lips.
“…Oh.” Luhan blinks. “Oh, he hasn’t told you yet.”
“Told me what?”
“Oh nothing…” Luhan says airily.
The eleven of them are now forming a big and tight circle, conversing about many topics brought up. Not too soon after Luhan and his group joined Yixing and the others, there is a booming voice announcing the crowd to move to the specific area of the museum for a revealing of Kris’s latest work. Everyone moves to the area, and waits in front of a big curtained wall. There are murmurs of excitement and chatter as to what lies behind the curtain
Suddenly, a sound of a throat clearing is heard through the microphone and everyone hushes.
“Hello, everyone, good evening. My name is Kris Wu, and I am pleased that you all could come tonight to view my art exhibit. What I have here tonight is a personal project of mine that I have done recently, and it is all thanks to a muse of mine that I met last week.”
Yixing’s ears perk up at the mentions of ‘muse’ and ‘last week’, and he looks at Yifan. What does he have to do with Yifan’s work? hey are making eye contact and neither dares to break it as Yifan continues his speech.
“You see, this muse, he gave me an idea of what it means to be an angel in the real world; to be gentle and to be pure, to be selfless and to be kind.” Yifan breaks the contact and looks around at the audience in front of him
“He has befriended random people in the metros, and he shows his every self that some of us may not be able to show. The random acts of kindness that he does to people everyday, I’ve never seen anyone like him. Before I knew who he was, I only knew him by face in the metro for weeks, often lucky to find him, often not so lucky. He would be perfect to be one of the role models for the world; think of the difference it could make when the people in the world are kind and fair every single day
“Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, my latest work, Angel.” Yifan makes a flourish of his hand towards the curtain. All eyes are on the curtain as it drops to expose a large collage of small portraits of different people, of different tones of black, grey and white, all forming to create a head shot outline of a majestic angel with wings. There are murmurs and gasps from the crowd.
Kyungsoo gasps, the loudest of the eleven. “Is that your face up there, Yixing-hyung?”
Yixing searches for his face in the small portraits, when all of a sudden, when he starts to look at it in the bigger picture, he sees his face on the angel’s body as clear as it can be. The small portraits of different people mark the strikingly similar outline and features of Yixing’s face, and Yixing is left breathless. He looks around at his group, who are all looking back at him, astonished. They had known it would be a surprise for Yixing, but they did not expect this kind of artwork where their friend’s face is right there on the wall, looking in the distance. Yixing does not register Yifan’s voice calling his name to come up and join him, until Jongdae and Zitao pushes Yixing gently towards Yifan.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, my muse. His name is Zhang Yixing. He works at Librorum, a bookstore co-owned by my cousin and his boyfriend. He is my neighbor, but most importantly…he’s the angel in my world…he’s my angel.”
Yixing cannot believe what he is hearing. Yifan has just confessed to the world that Yixing is his.