The thing with Yifan, Yixing realized as he stared at the shimmering band around his finger, was that everything felt like home. His mere presence was enough for Yixing to feel comforted, enough for Yixing to feel alive, enough to feel at home.
So when it came to the proposal, Yixing was ready to live in the warmth of this home forever.

Home, was monochrome.

Everything in Yixing's life was monochrome. Ever since he was a child, being tucked into bed by his mother, he knew why his vision was in black and white.
"When you meet the one," his mother said, spreading out the covers to rid them of wrinkles, "You'll see the world with a new light. You can see purple, and red, and orange. You wouldn't have to imagine what those colors look like. Because love, with your heart and soul, is what those colors look like."

The moment Yixing met Yifan, he only smiled at the taller man. He was utterly handsome, the gray of his skin was darker than Yixing's own. His jaw struck him first after he took in Yifan's outrageous height, and he couldn't help falling for the older man.
He was falling hard, quickly, and from the gray and black colors he saw, he knew he shouldn't have been.
Yifan knew this all the same, but he was just as head over heels for Yixing.

How can you fall so in love with someone who isn't supposed to be yours?

There was someone out there, meant for Yixing. There was someone out there that would give him the color he was supposed to see. There was someone to give that color to Yifan, as well.

What would happen, if after they married, either of them met a new person and saw the light of the world change around them? Would the other person be left alone in their own monochrome life, as the man he loves walks away with color in his cheeks and eyes?

It was this thought that had Yixing crying in the dressing room, his suit snug against his body and his tie hanging loose around his neck. He dug the heels of his palms into his eyes to stop the tears, but his running nose and running eyes were too much for him to handle. He hoped he could calm down before it was time to walk down the aisle, but it didn't seem like that would happen soon.
The door opened, though it seemed like whoever was behind it was hesitating. The tears stopped at the creaking, and Yixing stood up from the bench and dabbed at his cheeks as he quieted his sniffles.
"I know it's taboo to see your fiancé before the wedding, but-- Yixing?"
Yixing's breath caught in his throat when he saw Yifan at the door, his black suit fitting him perfectly and his legs looking longer than ever. His slicked back hair made him look like royalty. "Why are you crying?" Yifan asked softly as he approached the shorter man, his hand immediately coming out to cradle Yixing's moist and warm cheek.
It took him awhile to respond, trying to calm his spazzing heartbeat with Yifan's comforting palm on his skin. "Is this right, Yifan?" he finally questioned in a small voice.
"It is right," the elder nodded slightly, having gone through this conversation multiple times in their relationship.
"What if, down the line, you meet your soulmate?" Yixing whispers, closing the distance between them and resting his chin on the other's shoulder, his arms wrapping around his back.
"Then I'll tell you about every color you can't see. I'll tell you what color your eyes are, the color of your cheeks when you blush, I'll make you live in color, too."
"But I'm not your soulmate."
"Yes, you are. I'll label you my soulmate, my lover, my ray of sunshine," Yifan pulled away then, and raised Yixing's chin so their eyes could meet. "Right now, though, I want to label you as my husband."

The kiss was everything Yixing dreamed of. It wasn't like he had never kissed Yifan before--he had more times than he could ever fathom--but this kiss held so much more meaning. This kiss sealed everything in place, and the way Yifan's large hand clasped Yixing's after it made everything feel stable.
It felt like home.

Their home, their physical home, was a smaller house. They had been living together before marriage, but soon after they returned from their honeymoon, they learned of a new neighbor.

Yixing's biggest fear was that him and Yifan would be settled down in the future, and madly in love, when Yifan would find his real soulmate.
Yixing never expected to see a splash of something wonderfully unknown only three weeks after marrying the love of his life, and knocking on the door of their new neighbor's house. He never expected to find a shorter man staring at him with blown eyes, as if he had just seen a miracle take place.

Perhaps, that's what meeting your soulmate would be labeled as. A miracle.

An awkward introduction stumbled off of Yixing's lips and he quickly bowed to the man before turning and walking back to his own home.

The sky was a cooling color, what Yixing knew as blue. The grass was green. The roof of his home was red. Yixing’s car was a deep jade. The flowers on the porch were purple, and sat in ceramic orange pots. Their front door was a raw brown color.

Color.

Yixing didn't want to see any of it. He was thankful for Yifan being at work, as he ran through the house. It wasn't his house anymore. Nothing looked like it had. It wasn't right. It wasn't his home. He collapsed onto the green sheets of the bed, burying his face into the pillow and letting the fabric soak up every painful tear he sobbed.

Hours must have passed, Yixing must have worn himself out with all the tears and frustrated screams. He woke up to feather light to his hair, finding Yifan curled next to him. The elder was just staring at him, and a small smile found his lips when he noticed Yixing's eyes flutter open. "Were you crying?" Yifan whispered.
Yifan had black hair, which didn't surprise Yixing. There was no point in altering his hair color, if he didn't actually know what he was getting himself into. His eyes were a deep brown, how his mother described her favorite chocolates. Yifan in color was more gorgeous than Yixing ever thought. When the elder repeated his question, Yixing found he had been staring for too long. "I love you," was all Yixing could manage.

Yixing never found the right moment to tell his husband that he saw the world differently. He held his tongue whenever anyone around them mentioned the joy of color.

Yifan broke the truth to Yixing first. The elder had Yixing caged between his arms, against the kitchen counter. Yifan's pink lips glowed a red that matched his blushed cheeks, and Yixing was sure his coloring matched, especially with the way Yifan had been swiping his tongue over Yixing's lips and nibbling at the skin. "Yixing," Yifan whispered against his lips, pulling away to catch his breath and to see the younger man properly. "Your eyes are beautiful."
Yixing only stared up at him, his eyebrows pulled together. "They're black. You told me that a long time ago."
"Your eyes are brown. A nice light brown."
"...Yifan, you-"
"It was a girl that started working at the company," Yifan replied simply. He didn't seem affected at all.
Yixing looked down, his fingers tightening around Yifan's shoulders, where he had placed them during their lip locking session. "Your eyes are dark brown. I think they're nice."
"What?"
"It was the new neighbor."
Yifan leaned forward and pecked Yixing's lips, forcing the younger to look up. "That's why you were crying a week ago?"
Yixing nodded, and could already feel tears threatening to leave the corners of his eyes.
"That means we get to live in color together. We can see it all," Yifan whispered, kissing the tear that suddenly fell before it could travel down Yixing's cheek. "I think you're the most colorful thing I could have asked for, Yixing."