Subtle Differences | Junhao oneshots

Finding out

"You're late." 

The wooden door nearly falling off its metal hinges stopped creaking. Minghao stopped having to tiptoe, stopped having to open the door a millimeter at a time. He straightened, rising to his fullest height, and entered like any other normal being. Sighing, Minghao hung his coat up. 

"Good evening to you too." He responded. He walked over to the cushioned couch, avoiding papers strewn across the floor, desk and chairs. Then, Minghao sunk into the cushions, resting his head on the other man's shoulder. 

Junhui sniffed the air. Before Minghao arrived home, the room just smelled like... room. Now that he was back, a minute scent of wine lingered in the house. His frown caused a crease to form between his eyes. 

"Why were you late?" He asked. The weight on his shoulder disappeared. Minghao had stood up and wandered into the kitchen. 

"I'm making tea, do you want some?" Minghao jumped up, trying to reach for the teabag in the uppermost shelf of the highest cupboard of the kitchen. "Why do we put the teabags there?" 

Junhui swooped in, easily maneuvering past the other and fetching it. He stared down at the younger. Minghao narrowed his eyes at him, reaching for the teabag which the taller had menacingly raised up high. The older captured his wrist in a tight hold.

"Perhaps because we rarely drink tea, and you're attempting, but failing miserably, to avoid my question. Why were you at the bar?"

The close proximity between the both of them allowed Junhui to feel the younger go rigid. Ah, so his suspicions were confirmed. 

"Don't be ridiculous, I was at work." Minghao replied. He wriggled out of the older's grip, and snatched the tea bag out of mid air. Then, he poured the boiling water into a tea pot, watching the clear liquid turn to an aromatic green one. 

Junhui rounded the corner of the counter. He stopped right in front of Minghao, eyeing the latter up and down. He whipped around, starting to walk away. "Your linen shirt is severely crinkled, which could only be a result of big movements or the jostling of large crowds. Your work as a tailor tells me it's likely the latter." Junhui spoke loudly. He looked back every so often to see Minghao shaking his head. 

"Junhui, we are not playing this game." Minghao warned.

The older continued nonetheless. "The front of your shoes are scuffed with the mark from the terrible craftsmanship of the steps leading to the entrance of the bar you likely tripped on." 

Minghao paused in his tea pouring. He was in the midst of lifting a cup to his lips. "That's enough."

"And of course, the smell of wine in this house. You were smart not to take a sip, but the smell clung onto your coat, and unfortunately for you, has decided to cling itself to the room as well." 

Minghao placed the cup down harshly with a loud clang. That failed to interrupt the older.

"There's also strange red marks on your neck, indicating someone has held a weapon to it or tried to strangle-" Junhui cut himself off. The younger had raised one hand to his neck, trying to cover the red tinge to his skin. Junhui advanced closer, cupping Minghao's cheeks with his hands. 

"Are you hurt?" He asked softly. Minghao closed his eyes. He shook his head. 

"I'm fine, darling. You don't have to worry about me." He assured the older. Junhui did not look half-convinced. 

He steered the younger in the direction of their living room, and made Minghao sit on the couch while he took a seat beside. "I'm not worrying, I'm concerned. If I have to go after a man, though I really hope I don't have to, I will. So what happened at the bar?" 

Minghao let out a heavy breath he didn't realise he was holding. "Well, Christian phoned me while I was at my work office, and informed me that he had ran into some trouble at the bar."

Junhui stared at him, mostly in confusion. "Christian? The one you were... involved with in university?" He asked.

Minghao nodded in response. "Yes. I tried to help him escape 2 large men that he owed money to. Obviously that was not the case, which is how all this happened." He went on to further explain how he barely managed to wrestle out of the strangle hold one of the men had him in. 

The more Minghao spoke, the more worried Junhui felt. He stared at the red marks, feeling rather angry at himself for allowing such a thing to happen. 

He wrapped one arm around the younger, drawing him in close. "I don't want you visiting Christian alone anymore, got it? And usually I let you do anything you'd like, but I can't bear you getting hurt in the bars and streets out there. If anything, bring me along. I'm much stronger than I appear." Junhui whispered. Minghao giggled softly, tucking his head into the older's neck. 

The younger leaned up and placed a delicate kiss on Junhui's nose. "In wit, you definitely are." 

Junhui smiled. All of a sudden, Minghao was being lifted. Junhui stole a kiss from the younger's lips.

"In strength too, don't you think?"