You and I

Chapter Twenty One

They headed home.

It took a week and a half for Yu Hao to get himself back together. After just being fixed he was broken again, and this time, he felt like nothing would fix it.

Zi Xuan was, in his mind, the only person left who loved him. But Zi Xuan couldn't be there all the time. Yu Hao was talking a mental health leave and so Zi Xuan had to coach alone. He was usually home for breakfast and dinner, but he wasn't able to stay for lunch.

So, Zhen Wen looked after him during that time. He would let Yu Hao lay his head in his lap, tell him stories from the past, always about his mom. Yu Hao slept a lot because it took him away from everything.

Zhen Wen brought Ci Ci one day, and Yu Hao was ecstatic to see her. He got up from the couch and played with her, chasing her around and even cooking for her. Zi Xuan was overly excited when he came home to freshly baked goods, as well as Yu Hao and Ci Ci napping together on the couch.

That probably helped pull him out of his depression, but Zi Xuan had the biggest role. He came home one day, crouching down next to Yu Hao on one knee and waking him up with a grin.

"Hey, look what I got you."

Yu Hao, groggy yet curious, sat up in a cross-legged position. Zi Xuan's dimples were prominent as he pulled a small black box from the pocket of his sweats. "I know I already proposed, but I don't think it was official enough." He opened the box, looking sincerely up at Yu Hao. "So, love of my life, marry me?"

Yu Hao laughed, nodding softly, he put his hands on either side of Zi Xuan's face, leaning down and kissing him, their mouths moving carefully.

The kiss ended and Zi Xuan lightly caressed Yu Hao's cheekbone with his thumb. "Let's go out tonight, huh? Just you and I, somewhere expensive?"

Yu Hao nodded, feeling seduced by his words. "Yeah, that sounds good." Zi Xuan pecked his cheek, putting the ring on his finger and whispering.

"Now everyone can see that you're mine." He kissed Yu Hao's hand, and then hugged him tightly, because he could see that Yu Hao needed that.

"I love you." He smiled, kissing Zi Xuan again. Zi Xuan nodded.

"I love you too."

•••

They ended up holding hands across from each other at a fancy restaurant, dressed in button ups and smiling softly. Wine glasses clinked around them as Yu Hao took a sip of his alcohol, enjoying the burn through his throat.

Suddenly, his phone rang, and he took it out of his pocket, wondering who could be calling him. Zi Xuan was wondering too.

Yu Hao's face immediately darkened when he saw the name. His eyes went wide and he stood up, pressing the 'answer' button.

He left the busy restaurant and put the phone up to his ear, listening to a female crying.

"Hello?" He spoke softly, and although he could guess what this was about, he didn't want to to be true.

"Yu Hao?" Sniffled the voice on the other end. He nodded.

"Yeah, it's me. What do you need?"

"Yu Hao... I'm... I'm...."

He braced himself for the words. "Pregnant." His chest tightened when he heard the ugly word. He felt like he was loosing breath, and he knew he was having a panic attack.

"It's not mine." He said, breathing fast, in and out as he pushed his back up against the wall. "I use protection... it can't be mine."

"Yu Hao... it has to be. Your the last person I had sex with and... it's been three months." He shook his head, hardly able to believe what he was hearing. She was silent for a few seconds. "Yu Hao, I can't take care of a baby. I'll.... I'll just get an abortion or something."

Yu Hao felt himself get even more panicked, hot tears of fear running down his cheeks. "No, I... don't do that." He had always thought of himself as open minded, especially when it came to women's rights, but the thought of his child dying made him sick. "I'm scared."

"Yu Hao, I can't keep it. I'll have to decide if I want to take the procedure or I'll have to give it up for adoption after it's born." She said, her voice serious.

"I'll adopt it." He said distantly, trying to stop himself from crying. "I'll take care of it, I'll raise it."

Thoughts of him and Zi Xuan raising a baby together made him breath slower, calming down. He leaned his head against the wall, wiping away the tears on his face with his forearm. He nodded to himself. "You promise?" She whispered over the other end.

He nodded, biting his lip. "Yeah, I promise."

Silence was heard on the other end. "Okay. Come visit me sometime, then."

And then she hung up.

Zi Xuan appeared from the restaurant, putting his hand on Yu Hao's shoulder. "Hey, is everything alright?"

Suddenly, Yu Hao became a cube of sugar, and Zi Xuan's words were the water he melted with. Zi Xuan easily wrapped him into a bear hug, allowing him to calm down before he had to say something.

"Zi Xuan." He sobbed into the collared shirt, sniffling the name of his lover. "The girl I was with when I OD'd.... she.... she...."

Zi Xuan had to hold his breath, waiting for the answer. "She got pregnant from me. It's all my fault."

Zi Xuan's eyes widened, he put both hands on either of Yu Hao's shoulder, pushing him away enough to look him in the eye. "You what?"

"I... I got a girl pregnant."

"Xia Yu Hao." He breathed out, shaking his head. "You aren't joking, are you?"

Yu Hao shook his head.

Zi Xuan closed his eyes. "Okay... uh... let's go home, then." He smiled weakly, his teeth not showing, and they walked in silence to the car, and drove in silence home.

A/N:

Here it is! The greatly awaited plot twist! There's only one chapter left in this story, hence why you all (hopefully) want a sequel.