Back then, all they had to worry about was hiding the hickeys that would litter their bodies. Now, they had to worry about finding the time to actually be able to talk to each other. It would be nice if they could even give each other hickeys like they used to. Yixing’s finger traced over the bed sheets as he stared at his boyfriend from beyond the laptop screen. The only light in his hotel room came from the illuminated computer and the city that he ignored outside the window. All that mattered was the smiling face behind the screen that he hadn’t seen in over a month. In the recent days, all their could do was exchange short texts and the occasional picture, which Yixing had to admit, was one of his favorite things. He had countless screenshots of embarrassing, yet cute, selfies his boyfriend had no clue he would save. But those still images were nothing compared to actually being able to chat with him, even if it was over a low quality video. “You should be asleep,” came Yifan’s whisper. The elder was in the same position as Yixing, their stomachs flat against the bed and their chins resting on firm pillows.

    “You should be, too,” Yixing retorted. Neither of them really meant what they said, as the only chance they got to talk was in the dead of night. A small smile crossed Yifan’s lips as he leaned onto his side, resting his head on the palm of his hand. With a sigh, Yixing dropped his cheek against the pillow beneath him. “When can we see each other again?”

    “I have no idea. Everything’s so hectic.”

    “It’s hard like this.”
    “I know.”

    Silence fell over both of them, the only noise being the ruffling of bed sheets. Yixing stared at the screen before him, taking in the features that looked back at him. In the low light of the night, Yifan’s tanned skin was beautiful. His dark eyes glinted, and the shadows made his jawline even more striking. It felt like forever before Yifan opened his mouth, and Yixing wished he hadn’t. “I’m sorry,” the elder whispered.

    “For what?” Yixing murmured after a few seconds.

    “We could still be kissing each other every day if it wasn’t for me.”

    The younger immediately shook his head, propping himself up on his elbows. “Yifan, I thought we promised not to talk about that anymore.”

    “I know, but,” he sighed, “It’s been eating at me. I can’t help but think our relationship could have been better.”

    “Yifan.”

    “We wouldn’t have broken up for that time.”

    Yixing sighed and closed his eyes, thinking back on when Yifan ad walked out on their group. Yixing was broken, and so was the elder, to the point where they wouldn’t talk to each other for months. Every time they ended up in each other’s heads, they were on the verge of tears. It severed the relationship they had, and left a wound in both of them. They hadn’t brought up the topic since they had gotten back together. “It’s not your fault,” he finally said.

    “I wish I could kiss you like I used to.”

    “You still do. It’s just not as often.”

    “I want to hold you so badly, Yixing.”

    “Me too,” the younger whispered. It took the long silence for Yixing to realize the tears that had fallen on his cheeks. He hadn’t even felt them glide against his skin. A quiet laugh left his lips as he rubbed the away with the back of his hand. “I thought we promised not to make each other cry anymore.”

    “Ah, Xing, now I’m going to cry.”

    “I’m sorry, I’ll stop.”

    Yixing cleared his throat, “We’ll see each other soon. I promise.”

    Yifan’s cheeks were visibly wet when Yixing looked back at him. “You promise?”

    A smile floated to his lips. “We’ll see each other soon and I’ll give you a nice kiss, and a big hug.”

    “Ah, is that all?”

    “One hundred kisses.”

    “I like that more. But not to sound selfish-”

    “Three hundred kisses.”

    Yifan smiled. “And what about the hug?”

    “I won’t stop hugging you. You would have to pry me off your body?”

    Yixing laughed softly, the memory of the tears on his cheeks gone. “And what are you going to give me when we see each other?”

    “Three hundred and one kisses.”

    “Show off.”

    “Yes, I like to show off my love for you,” Yifan shifted, as if he was looking at something in the room. Then he turned and whispered, “Do you want to know how I’d show off my love?”

    “Of course.”

    “Your favorite color is purple. I’d paint you in purple hickeys, Yixing. All over your neck, and chest. Right under your ear, so that I can hear you too.”

    Yixing’s face was surely as bright as an apple. “Romantic,” he teased.

    There was a smirk on Yifan’s lips. “Seems to have gotten you excited.”

    “You know, I could turn off the call at anytime.”

    “I know you won’t.”

    “You are too cocky for your own good, Yifan.”

    “You love it.”

    A groan left the younger, and that made Yifan laugh. He couldn’t help but love the way Yixing got so flustered with the way he spoke; he had been like that ever since they met. He would never get enough of it. Seeing the apples of his cheeks painted a bright pink was utterly adorable, and the way his chocolate eyes avoided his own every time he tried to look back at the screen made Yifan almost scream internally. “It’s almost three,” came Yixing’s soft voice.

    “Do you want to go to sleep?” Yifan asked.

    Yixing shook his head and nuzzled his chin back into his pillow.

    “You’re going to regret not getting sleep, Yixing.”

    “I’ve functioned on no sleep before, you know.”

    “I wish you’d get a real break sometime,” Yifan muttered. He had said it before, and he would say it a million more times--he was beginning to pester Yixing on getting sleep like he was a mother.

    “Same goes to you,” the younger yawned. “You’ve been working pretty hard recently, too.”

    “No one works as hard as you do,” Yifan said, “And no one is as hard on themselves as you are.”

    With a smile, his face sank deeper into the pillow, his eyelids fluttering. Silence was held between them for awhile before Yixing finally murmured into his pillow, “You’re so nice to me, Fan.”

    “Why wouldn’t I be?” he chuckled softly.

    A slight shrug of his shoulders was the younger’s response.

    “You’re an absolute angel. I’ve never met a person so sweet.”

    “I dunno, your mom is really sweet.”

    “So is yours.”

    “Moms are sweet in general.”

    “I think you should go to sleep Yixing,” Yifan laughed gently, and the movement of his adjusting his pillow made Yixing shoot up off his own. “You’re getting delusional now.”

    “No,” he whined, “Who knows when we can talk again?”

    “Maybe tomorrow night?”

    “I’m flying tomorrow night,” his whine grew louder.

    “Which is why you should go to sleep now.”

    Yixing groaned and dropped his face into the pillow.

    “You’re even hard on yourself when you talk to me.”

    “Perfection takes a lot,” he said, before they both fell completely silent. Yifan watched as the younger’s shoulder steadily rose and fell, and the quiet snore he could hear told him that the younger had finally passed out. Yixing did this pretty often when they talked during the night, and the first time he did, he immediately texted Yifan saying that he was disappoint he didn’t “sleep with him”. Yifan learned after that, that if Yixing fell asleep during a call, he had to keep it running all night until they both woke up in the morning. Yifan sighed and adjusted so he could lay on his back. “You’re already perfect, Yixing,” he whispered.