Cutting The Chase (BJYX) - Completed

18: Warm Night

Zhan's warm breath tickles Yibo's skin. When he was sure that Zhan had fallen asleep, feeling his breaths slowing down, Yibo slowly opened his eyes, sight greeted by Zhan's beautiful sleeping face.

A slight frown flashed on Yibo's forehead. He wasn't sure what the churning in the pit of his stomach means.

Zhan's affectionate words and promises when he thought Yibo was asleep bothers him big time. Straighforward words towards a man he thought was asleep could only be interpreted as genuine. Yet, Yibo couldn't digest them as they are.

Through Zhan's messages, he realized that the Gege his brother was talking about is Zhan. Madame Wei's son is no other than Wei Zhan, the boy with the bright smile in his vague memory, that Zhan-ge who he adored when he was young and just vanished from his life like a passing breeze.

Should he hate the man or admit to himself the budding feelings he has for him?

Yibo is still indecisive, confused, yet falling slowly.

He took his hand away from Zhan's grasp, instantly feeling the emptiness in the gaps of his fingers. He then stared on the silverish ring on it, twisting it once and twice, mind torn between taking it off or keeping it.

Then, he looked back again at the sleeping Zhan, shutting his eyes closed forcibly, cursing himself for feeling something unnecessary towards the man.

Unknown to him, Zhan is a light sleeper like him. The moment he took his hand away from his', jerked the other from his slumber. But unlike him, Zhan did not pretend to be asleep. Instead, he flung his eyelids up, and stared back at Yibo, understanding his doubts and hatred between his furrowed brows.

He let out a soft laugh of uneasiness, his lips forming a curl, but it was a thin smile of pretence glee. "Sorry, I fell asleep next to you. Did I wake you?"

Yibo's eyes are now fixed on him, unsure of what to respond or if he has to.

Feeling the awkwardness in Yibo's silence, while interpreting his presence as a disturbance, he excused himself for interrupting Yibo's rest. "I should better go back to my room." He heaved a deep breath, feeling the stiffness of his neck from his awkward sleeping posture when he sat up straight.

As he was about to go, his heart was hopelessly wishing he could stay with Yibo throughout the night, and the upcoming nights ahead, but he knew he couldn't. 'Not yet.' he told himself, and so he just sorrowfully stood up and started walking away.

He was holding the door's knob, about to close it behind, when Yibo ran after him, pulling the door wide open again.

"D-Don't take the sleeping pills!" he fervently said, ears turning pink.

The sight makes Zhan's heavy heart lighter, appreciating Yibo's worry. "I won't." He said with a reassuring smile.

Yibo averted his gaze afraid of falling hard for Zhan's blinding smile. He was staring at the floor, waiting for it to swallow him whole, when Zhan bid him goodbye, "Goodnight, Bo-di."

The thought of separation made him anxious, while the words Bo-di pinched his heart a bit. He doesn't know what came to him when he saw Zhan's retreating back. When his sense came back, he is already clutching Zhan's sleeve, halting him from leaving.

Both of them stared at each other in surprise until Zhan was able to lovingly smile like he always do, holding Yibo's wrist with care. "Do you want me to stay?"

Yibo's eyes widen and his Adam's apple bobbed up and down, but he kept his mouth shut. Zhan can clearly see the tension in Yibo's jaws as he halted his lips from answering. So he rephrased his question, changing the direction of the words towards his desire rather than Yibo's. "Can I stay with you tonight?"

Seconds passed and he was sure Yibo was dazed and won't be able to answer honestly. So he took the lead, moving his grip from Yibo's wrist to his hand, carefully leading the man back to the room.

"Alright, let's rest." he sheepishly smiled, awkwardly claiming the right side of the bed, satisfied enough that Yibo did not make any protests as he dipped himself on the mattress.

He laid there quietly facing Yibo's side, cautiously sensing Yibo's sluggish movements of hesitation.

He finally relaxed after Yibo finally decided to lay on his side.

"Goodnight." Zhan repeated, enveloping themselves with the warm quilt. His hand barely touched Yibo's shoulder, but it was enough for him to be contented.

He closed his tired eyes and decided to drift to sleep. But his consciousness suddenly flared up again when Yibo scooped himself against his chest, his light Sandalwood scent firing up Zhan's neurons in craze.

"Goodnight." Yibo said in an almost inaudible whisper.

Zhan can't contain his joy from Yibo's gesture. His long arms embraced Yibo, further minimizing the gap between them. "I love you." He delightfully exhaled which was immediately replied with a slight nod and a "Mn." from Yibo.

Their fast beating hearts where like drumming rhythms of lullaby. The night was cold but had turned into a cozy warm night by their fired up bodies and flaring hearts.

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Author's note:

It's crap, I know. And my updates are so slow 🙄

I wish I could just finish this up and move on. Ahahahaha! Anyways,..

I hope everyone is well!

Stay indoors! Stay safe! Stop the spread!

22-Mar-2020