Beware The Curse Of Yo

13. Uncle Kit & Auntie Ming

"Are you sure you're up to this?" Kit tried to make sure his tone and expression were only of worry, not at all patronizing.

Ming looked away from the TV to give his fiance a reassuring smile. "If I wasn't, I would tell you, KitKat."

"I know, but-"

"And Yo is okay with us doing this as long as I wear a face mask. Which I am perfectly fine with doing."

"At least you don't have a fever," Kit murmured, once again running his hand over Ming's cheek to check and see if he felt hot.

Ming grasped Kit's hand and brought it over to his mouth, pressing a kiss to the palm. "Kit, relax, please. It was just a small cough. I don't have the plague."

Kit wasn't impressed. "Ha, ha."

Ming then leaned in to press soft little kisses along his fiance's jaw in an effort to placate him. "It'll be okay. And if it gets to be too much for me, I promise I will tell you. I'm not all secretive like Yo is since he's used to handling problems by himself."

"Which he shouldn't be. He's only nineteen."

"I know. But remember how he grew up. It's gonna be difficult for him to break years of habits." Years of survival instincts, to be exact.

"Speaking of habits," Kit drew back a little, dropping a kiss on Ming's nose. "Is that why you acted the way you did when you first started flirting at me?"

Ming's bewildered expression was so adorable, Kit wanted to kiss him breathless. "What do you mean?"

Kit took a moment to consider his words. He didn't want Ming to think he was scolding him or anything. Kit just really wanted to understand what had been going through Ming's head at the time. "Don't take this wrong, but...you acted like a stereotypical top when you talked to me. Treating me almost as if...I dunno," Kit cupped Ming's cheek, brushing the pad of his thumb over the younger boy's soft skin. Ming's eyes fluttered shut in contentment at the sensation. "I guess it's just weird to think about now after getting to know the real you and finding out you're a submissive and everything. Did you think that if I dated a guy, I would want someone to take care of me?"

"Not really," Ming said in a small voice. "I just...I didn't know how else to approach you. A couple other guys had caught my eye before I ever laid eyes on you, but it wasn't a strong enough attraction that I acted on it. When I saw you, everyone else paled in comparison." Ming smiled to himself when Kit's ears turned red at that blunt confession. "And since I'd never tried anything with a boy before, I just did what I'd always done with the girls when I finally got the courage to talk to you. Your reactions proved that I was going about it wrong, and I wasn't sure how to change."

"You could've just been yourself." I know I would've accepted you being sweet and soft like this. So much better than my past girlfriends - sorry, Pin.

"Nobody ever wanted me as myself before," Ming whispered, ducking his head to hide beneath Kit's chin. "They wanted the image they'd created in their fantasies, where I was a vicious fighter, and a commanding lover. I had no reason to think you would be different, and I'm sorry."

Kit hated hearing the self-loathing in Ming's tone. He might've come a long way in healing from Muwan's abuse, but he still had a really long way to go. "No. Don't be sorry. I kind of proved you right by taking my cousin to the theater when I knew you'd be there with the others. I was mad that you said yes to Beam, and confused about why it mattered to me so much, and...I think I was sad."

Ming peeked up at him. "Sad?"

"In hindsight, I know it was stupid of me, but..." Kit grimaced at his past thoughts and actions. "It felt like I'd lost you before I even had you. It hurt."