Junhui watched his cats as they played. They were a team, exploring the garden, their first taste of the outdoors. They stayed together, curious, but not wanting be alone. Sometimes Mimei would snap at her brother, and they would separate, or Neko would get spooked and run back to the doorway Junhui was watching them from.

He could feel the sun beating down on his back as he watched the black cat follow the tri coloured one, as if he was as much her shadow as the black cat running at her feet. Neko mewed suddenly, and Mimei turned to face the threat that spooked her brother.

Junhui felt Minghao walk up next to him. They watched the cats in silence for a few minutes, which was broken by the cats fighting a fly together, and mewing furiously as they did. Minghao laughed as Mimei hit her brother in the face, severing the loose alliance and sending Neko back to the house in a huff.

“How are you?” Junhui asked, not wanting to return to silence.

Minghao shrugged, and Junhui turned to fully take him in. He was smiling as he watched Junhui’s cats run around (Smoke and Fluff he called them. Junhui didn’t understand what he was referencing, but it made Minghao laugh every time he said it, and Minghao’s laugh was Junhui’s favourite thing). “I’m okay.”

Junhui nodded and moved to turn away, but Minghao turned to face him. “What’s wrong Jun?”

No one called Junhui Jun. No one except Minghao. But then no one else was always there without fail, every time he needed him. Which was a lot. And Minghao was always there.

Junhui shrugged. “Nothing much.” He was lying, but he always did.

Minghao raised an eyebrow. It was clear by his face he didn’t believe him. “Tell me honestly,” he said, mimicking the exact conversation they had every time. Cue Junhui telling the truth.

Junhui sighed, looking out at the cats. “I just- I miss you,” Junhui sighed, leaning a little into the other boy.

Minghao frowned. “I miss you too. But it’s not forever, Jun.”

Junhui nodded. “Just for right now,” he said, parroting what Minghao said every time the subject came up. “But I wish it wasn’t right now. I wish-”

Minghao knew what he was going to say before he said it, and covered his mouth before he could. “Don’t you dare, Wen Junhui.” It was a light touch, Junhui could barely feel it.

Junhui nodded, and they went back to staring at the cats, who were together again, Neko with a leaf in his mouth, and Mimei looking like she could kill him.

“One day I’m going to come back here, and she will have killed him,” Minghao said, a laugh entering his tone. Junhui laughed too.

“Sooner rather than later I think.”

They stood together, both in the sunlight, but with only one shadow emerging at their feet.