When Rose's Thorns Attack my Sides (But my Eyes Stay Trained on You) (Xingyun)

Ch. 12

"Hello Yu- ooooh. You don't look so hot." Xingqiu says once he opens the front door to his own home.

Chongyun was standing on his doorstep looking a little worse for wear, his hair messy and his expression exhausted.

"It's been a long day without much to cool me down. My parasol is being repaired and Xiangling is still making my popsicles..." he explains, his voice low and tired.

"Oh dear, then you must be rather warm. You can stay inside on my bed if you'd like. I'll get us some drinks."

Chongyun doesn't even say anything as Xingqiu walks off into his kitchen - he's far too exhausted for that. So instead he trudged up the stairs like his legs are made of lead and lays down on top of the blankets and pillows on Xingqiu's bed.

As soon as he lays down against it, he realizes immediately that smells like Xingqiu always does.

I mean, obviously, but it was still a shock to him.

He relaxes at the scent and the soft comforter and closes his eyes while a light pink blush overtakes his face.

Meanwhile, when Xingqiu comes upstairs, he sees the sight of Chongyun curled up on his bed, and he smiles as he sets a teacup on his side table for Chongyun to have when he wakes up.

While he waits, he sits outside and drinks his own tea with a book in his lap, a light sprinkle starting to rain down around him.

He thanks the safety of the dry roof that hangs over the door, and just as he really starts to enjoy the book, a familiar voice speaks up.

"Xingqiu! Mind if I come inside? It's a bit wet out here..." Hu Tao giggles, approaching and standing over him.

Xingqiu looks up and closes his book, standing up and opening the door for her.

"Why thank you. I didn't realize it would rain today~!"

She took off her shoes in the entry before going off to explore the house by herself, to which Xingqiu just sighs and brings his teacup back to the kitchen sink.

While he's cleaning it out, he hears Hu Tao yell from upstairs quickly followed by Chongyun yelling, and he quickly sets the dishes aside and heads upstairs to his bedroom.

"Chongyun? What's the matte-"

Chongyun and Hu Tao both look at him from inside the room, to which the former's face falls in relief. "I didn't know Hu Tao was here, and she yelled when she walked in the room."

"I didn't realize you were here either! You're here in Xingqiu's house on Xingqiu's bed and-"

Hu Tao's face contorts into a Cheshire grin that she easily flashed at Xingqiu, who is rapidly dreading whatever it is she has to say.

"I thought you told you two weren't dating. Yet here he is, in your bed, and you still deny it?"

Hu Tao giggles before heading downstairs, leaving a very flustered Xingqiu alone with Chongyun.

"Well I'll leave you to it. The rain shouldn't be too bad anyways. It's only a drizzle~"

Xingqiu maintains his staring contest with Chongyun up until they hear the door close downstairs, to which Xingqiu sighs and shuts the room door behind him.

"I do so apologize, I didn't realize she'd come into my room. She had asked to come inside because it's sprinkling outside, that's all."

"Oooh. So that's why she was here."

Chongyun lays back down on his covers but keeps his eyes on Xingqiu's, his face squishing against the comforter.

"Thanks for letting me lay down. Your bed is so soft and comfy...it's very soothing."

"Is it now?" Xingqiu asks, his voice getting higher.

"Mmhmm...I think I'm gonna lie back down again now...if it's okay with you..."

"Huh? Oh yes, it's perfectly fine! I'm just gonna- I'm gonna go back downstairs for a bit." He smiles quickly before leaving and shutting the door behind him.

In truth, he just slid down to the floor with his back against the door, hugging his knees to his chest and squeezing his eyes shut while his face continues to burn.

"Why do I still feel like this?" He whispers to himself. He turns around to look back at the door, his face falling in pain. "Chongyun, I'm worried."

He rests his head in the crook of the door and the frame, his body slightly untensing.

"Worried that I'm confused about how I feel about you. And that maybe I'm falling alone."

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Written: June 1st, 2023

Finished/Published: July 20th, 2023

(Word Count: 763)