I swear I started working on this but then I got distracted by the doodle art asks hahaha
Shen Wei felt a little self-conscious as Zhao Yun Lan kept staring at him. It wasn’t the first time the man was trying to undress him with his eyes, nor was it the first time he did it in front of their co-workers in the SID.
Zhu Hong coughed into her fist and the chief reluctantly pulled his eyes away.
Zhao Yun pulled the lollipop from his lips with a loud resounding pop and now it was Shen Wei’s turn to be distracted.
He could see that the chief was making an address to the new case at hand. He could see Zhao Yun Lan’s lips were moving, but the words felt on deaf ears. Shen Wei was no longer paying attention to the meeting, but admiring the man he had the fortunate of calling his lover.
When Kun Lun disappeared several millennia ago, Shen Wei could feel a part of him disappear along with him.
Everything around him changed with time, but the feelings within him were still as fresh and painful as the day he hid away from the world. He had a duty to carry out; he was the Black Cloak Envoy. But when Zhao Yun Lan appeared, his world was turned upside down.
He let Kun Lun slip away once, he couldn’t let it happen. No, he won’t.
Not when he learned that the man he fell in love with had already been by his side. Whether he was Kun Lun or Zhao Yun Lan, the man was the same person, and the one he fell in love with.
Zhao Yun Lan looked over at him and smiled. Shen Wei reciprocated it without a second thought, momentarily forgetting about their audience.
“Please stop flirting in the office,” Da Qing groaned and the rest of the office gave some form of support ranging of head nodding and sounds of agreement. Zhao Yun Lan looked at them, feigning hurt which caused Guo Chang Cheng to shift nervously but everyone else simply rolled their eyes at the chief’s antics.
“Fine, Xiao Wei and I will be taking the rest of the day off. The rest of you, do your jobs.”
Shen Wei flushed at the nickname, but no one noticed as they were too busy cursing the chief in their mind before moving to their respective work stations. Zhao Yun Lan snorted at the reactions he got.
He then reached over and intertwined his hand with Shen Wei’s.
Seeing the other man look at him like a deer caught in the headlights, Zhao Yun Lan flashed a bright smile before pulling him along as he exited the office.
The sun was bright, Shen Wei noted when they were out on the streets. But his life was dark before the Zhao Yun Lan entered his life, after all, the other was the sun to his dark presence.
“Hey Xiao Wei, guess what I’m thinking about!”
Shen Wei shook his head at the question but a smile pulled onto his face as they drove through the city in Zhao Yun Lan’s car.
“If I knew,” Shen Wei started as he watched the people and buildings go by, “I would not be so worried about you.”
Zhao Yun Lan laughed.
“I was just thinking about what a lucky man I am,” Zhao Yun Lan said as he briefly turned to look at Shen Wei, “to have you in my life. To have you love me back. To have you come save me time after time, even if I did stupidly rush into danger head first.”
Shen Wei wanted to cry. Just before they reached their destination, he whispered, “I never thought I’d be so lucky, especially not in this lifetime.”
It didn’t matter if Zhao Yun Lan heard him or not. As long as they were together, nothing else mattered.
42. “You’re the only person I’ve ever actually wanted to spend the rest of my life with.”
Tin sleeptalks.
Can discovers that fact not the very first night he spend over at Tin’s apartment, because that night they actually didn’t get much sleep, nor the second night because they were likewise occupied, but maybe during the twelfth night or something. Their first nights blur a bit together, truth be told, in a sort of overwhelming way that still makes Can blush whenever he catches Tin watching him with bedroom eyes. Which is whenever he looks at Can, nowadays.
But yeah, Tin sleeptalks. Can isn’t always sleeping lightly enough to wake when he does, but tonight he stayed up later than Tin, and when he enters the bedroom Tin is sprawled inelegantly on the bed, his head buried in Can’s pillow. Can sits on the edge on the mattress and blades his fingers through Tin’s hair. This is going to be fun. The last time, Tin had told Can grass is not as chewy as he expected and it tasted like strawberries.
“Hey love,” he whispers and waits. Tin’s eyes are moving underneath his eyeslids, letting Can know he’s still asleep.
“You dreaming of me?” Can asks.
“Mmmh Cantaloupe,” Tin says into the pillow. It’s on.
“What’s going on today, Tin?”
“You’re eating cantaloupe. Why? Cannibalism is bad, Can, why are you doing this?” Tin says, and he’s frowning adorably at the scene playing out in his dream.
“Are you eating some too?”
“No. You’re not letting me. It’s okay, I love you, you can have it all,” and his frown turns into that besotted smile he’s always trying to hide.
“Thank you,” Can kisses Tin’s cheek.
“There’s juice everywhere on your chin, Can.”
“Is it gross?”
“No, I wanna lick it off. Drink it from your skin.”
“Okay, tone down the creepy stalker talk. Don’t lick my face.”
Tin huffs, and Can thinks he’s going to wake up but Tin only shifts to hug Can’s pillow.
“You’re the only person I’ve ever actually wanted to spend the rest of my life with,” Tin says before nuzzling the pillow, right in the middle where Can’s scent is stronger.
Can feels his cheeks heating and is grateful when Tin doesn’t say anything else. He climbs carefully over Tin to get into bed and plasters himself along Tin’s side, draping his arm over Tin’s back to hold him close.
“Love you too,” Can whispers into Tin’s hair, closing his eyes and joining Tin into sleep.
Summary: Type and Champ always want to do right by Techno. Their sweet captain deserves the best, after all (even if they tease him a little bit). And whenever all three of them go on a date, Type and Champ will always go the extra mile just to see Techno smile.
My birthday present for the lovely @earthpodd. May you have many more my dear, Victor! I hope this puts a smile on your face!
Pete, as Tin’s longest friend, knew Tin’s tendency to be dramatic. He also understood that Tin didn’t know how to do much in the way of affection and endearment other than spending money, kisses, or having sex.
So when Tin asked Pete to come with him to help him pick out a present for Can and his family, Pete knew this might end in a special kind of disaster. Fortunately, Pete had been instructed to also bring Ae along.
That’s when Pete knew this would absolutely be a tremendous disaster.
Pete and Ae had to drag Tin away from the most expensive designer stores at the mall, knowing Can would be upset if Tin stepped foot in there. They also had to drag Tin out of the cheapest stores for complaining about everything inside.
By the end of two hours, Tin was close to pulling his hair out.
“That’s it! I’m just buying everything in the mall and they can pick whatever they want,” Tin said while whipping out his phone.
“DO NOT!” Ae shouted while lunging for Tin’s phone. Tin simply held it above his head and sneered at Ae. Ae looked ready to kick Tin in the shins and break his legs.
“And how exactly will you stop me?”
Pete pulled out his phone while Ae kept Tin at distance. “We’ll call your boyfriend.”
Tin seemed to falter for just a moment. “You’re bluffing.”
Pete made two quick taps before putting the phone on speaker. It rang for a second before it was picked up. “Hello? Pete? What’s wrong?”
Tin turned pale. “CANTALOUPE, EVERYTHING PETE SAYS IS A LIE!”
“What? Tin? Why are you-”
“Ai Can, Ai Tin says he’s going to buy everything in the mall and let your family pick what they want.” Pete gave Tin his most dead-eyed stare. “Please stop him.”
“WHAT?!”
Tin moved to grab Pete’s phone, but Ae held him back. “Cantaloupe! It’s not what it sounds like!”
“It sounds like you’re spending a stupid amount of money on me and my family again!”
“Not on purpose!”
“What do you mean not on purpose? HOW DO YOU BUY OUT A MALL WITHOUT PURPOSE?! That’s it, I’m coming over there. Which mall did you guys go to?”
“This is absolutely unnecessary!”
“YOU BUYING OUT A MALL IS UNNECESSARY!”
@weilongfu you are making my day just better and better. ❤
Guo Chang Cheng watched as Zhao Yun Lan kept putting food on Shen Wei’s plate. He noticed the touches to Shen Wei’s shoulder, to his waist. He even noticed the looks Chief Zhao kept giving Professor Shen.
It wasn’t all one sided either. Professor Shen had a look of longing on his face the entire evening. He always seemed to know where Chief Zhao was at any point in time.
They reminded him of his peers from school, young and in love. Even his aunt and uncle still acted this way, kind and doting on one another.
But had Chief Zhao and Professor Shen actually gotten together? When had this happened?
The questions swirled in Chang Cheng’s head until Chief Zhao looked over and demanded he spit out what he was thinking so hard about.
“Chi-C-Chief Zhao… Y-You and Pr-Professor Shen… You two are a couple?”
Professor Shen’s pale face turned pink immediately before he quickly said, “We are not a couple.”
“Yet!” Everyone turned to look at Chief Zhao after his interjection. “We are not a couple yet.”
Professor Shen got a dreamy look on his face before he came back to himself. “Wait, what?”
“Xiao Wei…” Chief Zhao snatched up several skewers like a bouquet and bowed while presenting them to Professor Shen. “Please do me the honor of being my boyfriend.”
“I…”
“Oh d-do say yes, Pr-Professor Shen!” Chang Cheng immediately slapped a hand over his mouth after his outburst. Lao Chu also hit Chang Cheng, calling him an idiot under his breath. “I-I mean…”
Professor Shen sighed and accepted the skewer bouquet. Although Professor Shen sounded burdened, his eyes seemed to be shining. “I accept, Ah Lan,” Professor Shen said with a teasing lilt to his voice. Chief Zhao immediately stood up, a beaming smile on his face. “As your first duty as my boyfriend, I want some tea.”
“As you wish!” Chief Zhao then kissed Professor Shen’s knuckles and ran off to the staff kitchen.
Everyone stared dumbly at what had just happened. Da Qing was suddenly the first to speak up.
“So who else are you going to end up matching together, Xiao Guo? Or has your taste for matchmaking been satisfied?”
Chang Cheng made a face which made everyone else but Professor Shen laugh.
(Later that night, Professor Shen pulled Chang Cheng aside. “Thank you, Xiao Guo. Your words gave Yun Lan and I courage today. I hope you also find a similar happiness.” Chang Cheng took the blessing to heart and thanked Professor Shen in return.)
Hey, thank you for your prompt. I personally don’t think Can should apologize for rejecting Can so I wrote something different and hope that you’re happy with it nonethless 🙂
TinCan Ficlet
It had taken time. Time and angry words, shouting matches, silent treatments and a vicious circle of hurtful words being thrown in each others faces over and over again. Can didn’t like to think about those times.
“You’re not going to work today?”, Tin asked and Can smiled because he had known that Tin was awake. He continued his soft strokes over his hair. “I have access to your calendar. I know you want to do home office today.” “Maybe I didn’t say anything because you would distract me from getting work done.” “Oh you better believe I will be a distraction.” He moved closer and kissed Tin. Soft and short, but he didn’t move back, he waited for Tin to open his eyes.
Can was an impulsive person but he didn’t like taking risks. He always ordered the same food, because he knew that it would taste good, he went to the same bars, because he knew the prices and the drinks and how to get home from there. To open himself up for Tin and a relationship with him was one of the biggest risks he ever took.
Tin moved in for another kiss and Can grabbed him tight.
The moment he accepted his feelings he had thought to feel another wave of panic, to be unable to breath, but the panic never came. Just a weird kind of peace a giddy feeling of relief. He felt so much more powerful.
Can appreciated that Tin didn’t wear a shirt to bed so he had unlimited access to his warm naked skin. He digged his fingers into Tin’s back.
“Wait,” he murmured after a while. Tin growled something that sounded like ‘Come back here’. “I wanted to make you breakfast.”
“Can breakfast special?” Can boxed Tin against his shoulder. “I burned the eggs one time. I told you to throw them away. You insisted on eating them.”
“Because you look so cute in an apron.” He deserved another kiss Can decided.
Tin had asked him, more than once, if he was so attentive because he had a guilty conscience, and if he ever would regret their relationship.
Can always said no with confidence because it was so easy to love Tin. So easy.
@lbc-tincan 41 today, 42 next time ! thanks for sending a prompt in 😘
41 – TinCan – “I know you haven’t done anything, but can youplease stop looking so goddamn kissable, my parents are here.”
Can suits up really, really well, as Tin discovers when he drags him to a party his family is hosting. It’s not like he had any doubts, mind you, but there’s a difference between knowing how good a fitted suit can potentially look on anyone and actually witnessing the minor miracle of the shape of Can’s legs in bespoke trousers. Especially considering it’s the first time he’s seeing the results of the tailor appointment he made for Can. Every time Can saunters away to find new canapés, Tin’s mouth waters at the sight of his boyfriend bulldozing his way to the free food. He has vivid plans about what he’ll do to Can in those pants once they’re alone, and he’s thankful he’s only had one glass (or two, or three, or – not that many, he’s not even swaying) of wine because otherwise he might have snapped and dragged Can into a dark alcove already.
Tinis not even pretending to listen to his father’s bankers friends anymore. All of his attention his on Can, his eyes tracking the boy’s movements across the crowd, losing him for a while when he goes behind the fountain near the French food.
And then Can comes back, holding a silver tray full of petits fours and foie gras and things he doesn’t even know the name of to his chest, his eyes gleaming and Tin’s name on his lips. Tin eyes the mountain of food with what he hopes is a disapproving expression, but judging by the way Can beams at him while he’s stuffing his mouth maybe he’s just coming of as fondly besotted. Who cares. NotTin.
There are crumbs of whatever Can’s been eating dotting his lips, and they’re very, very distracting, and how can Can not notice them?
“I know you haven’t done anything, but can you please stop looking so goddamn kissable, my parents are here,” says Tin as he swipes the worst of the crumbswith his thumb. He’s mostly spreading them more, and really he might as well lick them off Can’s mouth directly. It would be very efficient, and Tin is all about being efficient when his boyfriend is concerned. Can’s tongue darts out,and in forgets where they stand. He starts to lean down, bent on getting rid ofthe crumbs in a truly altruistic and selfless act, when Can tilts his head up.
“What about your parents?” Can asks.
Tin shrugs. “What about them?” He whispers as he closes the remaining distance between them. Can, bless his soul, is still holding his silver tray of foreign food, but he shifts it out of the way and meets Tin’s lips with a smile.
Elegant fingers was plying the strings of a guqin.
The player’s features was empty of expression. Fair like the most exquisite of jade, craved with perfection.
Though the melody was that of a familiar song, known to everyone with a Haixing ancestry, it was however imbued with a strange melancholy, deep and helpless, tugging at the feelings of any listener.
The sorrow and yearning, cried out by this instrument, sung of truths that the young gentleman carefully hidden from view. Only now, in the relative privacy of a solitary pavilion within the lavish gardens of the Dixing Envoy’s embassy compound, that he dared to unfold a glimmer of his emotions. Pouring all into the wooden guqin placed upon the polished floor in front of his folded knees. His back remained straight, posture impeccable, even as his hands danced with abandon upon the guqin.
A storm had raged fiercely, leaving devastation within his soul. Only his eyes, crowned with charming lashes unfairly long, gave hint of the unhappiness within.
His identical twin entered the structure, kneeling carefully behind the musician, and encased his elder brother in a hug. Hooking his chin on his brother’s shoulder, the younger of the two began to softly hum, a jarring counterpoint to his twin. An old folk ditty from their Dixing motherland.
Faced with such provocation right next to his ear, the musician’s fingers left the guqin. “Ye Zun,” he softly chided, turning to face his mirror image.
His little brother smiled an unrepentant grin, familiar and so comforting. For a moment, Shen Wei felt as if they were back at the Palace, still in the safekeeping of their old guardian the crafty Lord Justice. Giving in to nostalgia, Shen Wei sighed and rested his forehead against his twin’s. Ye Zun lowly complained that he “preferred your drum playing, our clan’s energetic beats, rather than this slow nonsense!”
Shen Wei chuckled. Ye Zun never took to any Haixing culture with grace. That he agreed to forgo the Dixing mode of dressing was already a great concession. There were even tantrums thrown on the day their clan beads were combed out of the twin’s intricately braided hair, as they exchanged their customary Dixing robes for Haixing’s garments.
A gentle breeze flew by, playing with the unbound half of the brothers’ long tresses, styled in the common Haixing fashion meant for unmarried youths. The ticklish sensation of unbraided hair flying against their faces broke the moment and their embrace.
Pushing the guqin out of the way, Ye Zun threw his head in his brother’s lap, forcing Shen Wei to change his seat, the better to accommodate his twin’s antics. They had always been close, such behavior was nothing out of the ordinary for the openly affectionate Ye Zun. The only difference between him and the politely reserved Shen Wei.
Grabbing Shen Wei’s left hand, Ye Zun grumbled at the reddened marks left by the sharp strings of the guqin on his twin’s fingers, before launching into a litany of complaints, strings of grievances against the current Dixing ambassador tasked with hosting the twins. Shen Wei felt his face broke into a helpless smile at his brother’s bratty deportment.
He knew that Ye Zun was trying to distract him from the encroaching despair that was haunting Shen Wei.
With each sunset, his wedding —sight unseen— to the sole heir to Haixing’s Grand Duke Zhao Xin Chi, the famous young Lord Guardian Zhao Yun Lan, grew nearer.
…•…
Crouching on top of a wall, three young gentlemen was trying their level best to catch a glimpse of the Dixing nobleman betrothed to their good friend and ringleader Zhao Yun Lan. Accompanied by one apathetic guide, the son of the diplomat who’s courtyards they were intruding.
One hapless soul, the innocent Guo Chang Cheng was pressed to be the lookout, despite his many protestations and teary eyes.
“Old Chu, which one of them?”
Lying on his back along the wall, eyes closed and head resting on folded hands behind him, Chu Shu Zhi carelessly answered, “They’re identical twins. One face is as good as the other.”
He was soundly shushed for his pains.
“Lower your voice!”, one baby faced individual hissed. “Old Chu, you might be safe from the swords of your father’s guardsmen, but we’re not!”, another one added, his normally cunning face twisted with anxiety.
Their leader, too busy focusing his questing eyes towards the secluded pavilion, choose not to admit the inadvisable nature of their antics.
Zhao Yun Lan refuse to be wedded to a groom —no matter how prestigious— sight unseen, traditions and superstition be damned.
Guardian Fic Attempt, Part 2
Perhaps it was a stray breeze that carried their voices beyond sight, perhaps it was the cracking of tiles burdened with unaccustomed weight, or perhaps it was the sharpness of Zhao Yun Lan’s intent gaze.
Both of the twins froze and, in an eerily synchronized move, turned accurately towards the interlopers.
In a flash, a few throwing knives thudded home into the wall, right where those young Haixing aristocrats were huddling. Sunlight glittering on their edges. With a yelp, two of the trio tumbled down and scrambled to get away. Leaving one apathetic son of Dixing diplomat to continue with his sunbathing and one newly appointed Lord Guardian standing his ground and seizing the opportunity to meet with his mysterious future groom.
Smirking a significantly bloodthirsty expression, Ye Zun slowly rose from his brother’s lap, twirling a throwing knife between his fingers.
“Didi, remember what we promised to Lord Justice,” Shen Wei cautioned.
“Don’t worry, Ge. There won’t be a diplomatic incident if there’s no body to be diplomatic over.”
Guardian Fic Attempt, Part 3
Unfortunately, there was a diplomatic incident.
Zhao Yun Lan, unsure of the identity of his attacker and not wanting to accidentally maim his own fiancé, chooses to return the strikes he received from Ye Zun in an exaggeratedly careful manner. Softening his stances and turning aside the full potential impact of their exchanges. And as per his manner when facing an unexpected opponent, his lips was jokingly running full tilt with his usual stock of flirtatious words. Each of his sentences either begun or ended with a variation of praises on the charms of his sparring partner.
Da Qing and Lin Jing simultaneously facepalmed. From a safe distance, of course.
Chu Shu Zhi, still on the wall, was content with shouting out critiques.
Ye Zun, recognizing the way that he was being handled, was incensed at the perceived disdain from someone who was clearly a capable fighter. This snooping young lordling was pulling his punches, as if Ye Zun isn’t capable of answering his blows! To one from the noble House of Gui, widely acknowledged as one of the best pugilist in his motherland, this was a slight that could not be tolerated. Can’t this moron tell what skill it took to not kill someone in a blow when each of his attack was meant to be a singular death strike?
When his ears finally caught up with the nonsense that was sprouting from that smarmy mouth, his irritation ignited to honest fury.
The fight turned into a brawl, with Ye Zun chasing after Zhao Yun Lan all over the place.
Passersby —attracted by the noise of the fight— alerted the nearby station of the Capital Guardsmen. Who then arrived with alacrity. To witness the young Lord Guardian in a spar was a great treat to these enthusiastic fans of the popular Zhao clan. The Grand Duke, veteran of countless battles, was held with high esteem by all those who served to protect the nation and everyone shared great hopes and pride for his sole heir.
The cheerful nature of these patrolmen changed when they finally got to the scene.
Hapless Guo Chang Cheng was cowering by the walls of the Dixing embassy. Too scared to move. His crimson and burgundy attire, paired with elaborate golden embroidery and a gilded crown on his head, instantly proclaimed his identity to all. The fight between the Lord Guardian Zhao the younger and this unknown youth took on a different story.
Even the most illiterate beggar can tell you that there stood the Dowager Empress’ eldest grandson, in mortal peril.
With a shout the guardsmen surrounded the two fighters, a ring of spears appeared with grim determination. The sole survivor of the decimated MuShi Wangfu must be protected!
Because the plot bunny decided to go back to the depths of Dixing motherland ……here’s a cover?
Guardian Fic Attempt, Part 4
“Didi, please step back.”
A clear voice broke into the commotion, during a lull in the standoff between the two combatants, metaphorically taking in the deep breath before the plunge.
One half of the fighters surrounded by a forest of spears abruptly changed his tack and nonchalantly shrugged, appearing to be as if he’s out on an extremely boring stroll. A noble gentleman that wasn’t —just seconds ago— doing his level best to take Zhao Yun Lan’s head.
Nonplussed, everyone was searching for the owner of the voice, and taking cue from the strange youth in silver and grey, they looked up towards the walls of the Dixing embassy. Another copy of the miscreant opponent of Lord Zhao the younger was standing up there, with his white and azure robe fluttering in the wind. Exactly the same, down to the shape of their brows, and yet completely, unmistakably different.
If the one in silver was a smiling demon incarnate, sent to sow chaos amongst mortals, then the one in azure was an icy celestial, descending to taunt hopeless human infatuation.
A few of the more green patrolmen were openly gaping at the sight. Those of the more “seasoned” ones just coughed or made some other small movements to get a better grip over themselves.
And then with nary an effort, the gentleman on the wall floated down whisper-soft as a willow leaf blown by the wind. As his garments settled down from the controlled flight, a subtle display of qinggong mastery, he walked towards the amassed crowd who hastily put away their sharp implements and parted to make way.
Lin Jing whistled with admiration. That kind of presence, a silent command that expected and compelled instant obedience only came from those who had spent years in power, or those who was bred with them.
‘There comes a time in a man’s life that you just have to admit that sometimes there are humans too pretty to be considered real’, Zhao Yun Lan philosophically thought to himself. And hoped really hard that it’s this one that he’s betrothed to, instead of the devil in front of him. Wedding night might get a bit troublesome if otherwise.
“Touch a single strand of his hair, and I shall slay each and every single last of you.”
The threat, delivered by such a soft expression and a cultured voice, was such a whiplash to those present that they were rendered speechless. Zhao Yun Lan dearly wished to restart today. Ignoring them, the azure gentleman then turned around towards Guo Chang Cheng and gracefully apologised for “the sudden fright” before holding out a hand towards his brother. He swiftly flew away —with his twin in hand— into the embassy before anyone could gainsay a word.
“What… just happened?” one brave guardsman piped out, right before a side door to the embassy banged open and Dixing soldiers poured out, sabers rattling, like an overturned jar of bees.
The captain of the embassy’s forces, beard bristling with agitation, stomped over and loudly demanded an explanation.
Guardian Fic Attempt, Part 5
Madam Zhao had her son kneeling in the family altar chamber until her ire was satisfied. His body aches afterwards.
The Grand Duke had Yun Lan overseeing the monthly patrol rosters as well going over the budget for both their household security forces and also the capital patrol. His fingers cramped up from all those writing and calculations that he had to do and Zhao Yun Lan swore that his sight went cross-eyed for a while. His brain hurt.
Being summoned to an audience with the emperor was, in comparison, an evening stroll. It also helps that —next after Guo Chang Cheng— he was a favourite of the Dowager Empress, who was present in the chamber.
Armed with his usual bullshitting and sweet talking, he got out of the meeting fairly intact.
However, he did not escape unscathed from the second meeting with his prospective husband.
That very same evening.
Meeting that beautiful pair of eyes across the street as he was about to be dragged over the doorways of the capital’s foremost flower bower, all Zhao Yun Lan could think about was,” … well, fuck.”
(sorry darling i am dry for the first one? nothing comes to mind?? except having her die in a fire and uuuuh i don’t want to kill Ley :((( ) (the line was “stop, wait ! she’s still in there! she’s still in there!”)
8- “I know we aren’t really talking right now, but please, call me back. It’s important.”
“I know we aren’t really talking right now, but please, call me back. It’s important,” Tin says into his phone, his grip on Can’s hand tightening as he hangs up. Can rubs soothing circles inside Tin’s palm, quiet for once, and they let the silence surround them for a while.
Tin drops his head with a heavy sigh, slowly leaning into Can’s waiting shoulder.
“I should stop trying to reach her. She didn’t care before, why would she care now?” Tin asks, mostly to the air. “I don’t know why I even tried.”
“Because for better or worse she’s your mother and you still want her to be a part of your life?”
“She doesn’t want me in hers,” Tin says, “so it’s up to her now. I reached out. It’s her call.”
He looks up at Can, and he wills his eyes to be dry. “Besides, you’re my “for better or worse” now, Cantaloupe. That’s enough for me.”
18- “I didn’t come here to talk to you. Where is he?”
Can doesn’t really know why he’s standing in front of Tin’s family mansion in the middle of the night, except that he can’t sleep and images of Tin petting his hair, kissing his cheek, kissing his lips, are running through his mind again and again. He cannot sleep. It’s Tin’s fault. Tin has to fix this.
He’s surprised when it isn’t Tin that answers the door, which he blames on the sleep-deprivation, which is again Tin’s fault. Normally, he would have thought of maybe calling Tin once he got to the door, to make sure he would be the one to open it instead of what looks like his half-brother, if Can remembers correctly from his sister’s frenzied internet Tin stalking.
Before Tul can open his mouth, Can lifts his hand to stop him.
“I didn’t come here to talk to you. Where is he?”
Tul looks Can up and down with a barely concealed sneer. “So you’re the reason Tin’s been weird- well, weirder than usual for a while, uh? He always had shitty taste,” Tul grins, but his eyes are cold and calculating and Can wants to sucker-punch the smile off his face.
He starts to shift his weight on his hips, turning to get enough momentum as he readies his fist. Tul doesn’t seem to move, but the second Can throws his fist at him, Tul catches it easily in a death-grip, grinding Can’s fingers together until Can gasps in pain.
“Aren’t you cute? Go, before I change my mind,” Tul nods towards the staircase, letting go of Can’s fist as if it were some trash he picked up. “Last bedroom to the right. Tell Tin I said hi.”
Thank you sweetie! 💕 I don’t want to sound sadistic but I like stories featuring Tin’s family when it allows Can to comfort him, to be there for him in contrast to how his family always lets him down. ‘Besides, you’re my “for better or worse” now, Cantaloupe’ is both such a sweet and such a heartbreaking line!
The Last Good Bar 
You must be logged in to post a comment.