Tao shot up from the pillow, screaming bloody murder.
"Tao! Tao!" I called, trying to calm him down.
"HUANG ZI TAO!" I shouted. He whipped his head around to face me, his breaths hard and haggard, his eyes wide with fear.
"Calm down. You're safe. You're okay." I rubbed his back which was slightly sweaty. His breaths gradually returned to normal but his eyes still held fear and shock in them.
"Why were you screaming?"
Tao didn't answer, he just breathed. I crawled around to face him and took his scared face in my hands.
"You okay now?" I asked softly, He just stared at me for about a minute then he got up and left.
I sighed in sadness and relief, At least now I know what was keeping him awake. But he left. I looked at the clock and saw that it was 4:30 am.
"Could as well go look for him." I got out of the bed and made my way downstairs. The kitchen was empty. So was the living room and dining room.
"Aishh, where is that boy?" I looked in the pantry but he wasn't there either. As I walked past the window, I saw a familiar lean figure leaning on the balcony railing. I didn't want to disturb him but he was gonna get sick if he stayed out there too long.
"Tao? Please come inside. You're gonna get sick." I said softly from by the window. He didn't move. I sighed dejectedly. I trudged back up to my room and shut the door. I locked it too. Dragging my feet on the smooth floor, I made my way back to my bed and sat on it sadly.
"Why is he being like this?" I wondered, crawling back under my sheets and pulling them over my head. I only realized I was crying when I heard a knock on the door.
I didn't even think about getting up. I just lay there crying.


3 Hours Later
When I woke back up the next morning, I didn't even want to get up. I felt depressed and hurt. But I had Tao over and I couldn't let him starve. So I wearily got up and unlocked my door. Opening it, I found a red faced Tao sitting with his back on the wall and his head leaning forward fast asleep. I bent down and touched his neck. He had a slight fever. I sighed again. Shaking him half awake, I helped him to the bed and had him sit. I quickly scuttled out of the room and into my parents room for an extra pair of clothes for him. I returned to find him tucked under the blanket, shivering like a small puppy in winter, I made him sit up and I changed his shirt.
"You have to change your pants and boxers," I gave them to him and turned away. He quickly changed and dove back under the sheets. Taking his dirty clothes, I placed them in my laundry basket and went out to get something for him to eat and drink.

Making my way back up the stairs, I heard a soft whimper. I quickened my pace and put the tray of food on my nightstand. I turned to see Tao with the sheet completely over his head and he emitted soft whimpering sounds along with quiet sniffles.

He was crying.

My heart broke in two at the sound of his voice. I gently pulled back the sheets just enough to see his reddening eyes and trembling bottom lip. he looked helples and not at all like the fierce, Wushu master Tao that I knew.
"Tao, you have to eat something or else you'll feel worse."
I checked his neck again and it was far hotter than before. I wrapped the sheet around him and made him sit up. I fed him small pieces of hot toast and made him drink small sips of orange juice. I also gave him two tablets that would help bring down the fever. He sat on the bed for a while, letting the food digest before he lay back down again. I gently wiped his tears with a tissue and caressed his hot cheek. His face wasn't as red but a bit pale.
After a few moments he lay back down, with his back to me. That hurt. I was about to close the door when his soft voice stopped me dead in my tracks.
"I'm sorry for making you work. I'm sorry for leaving you last night. I'm sorry for ignoring you last night. I'm sorry for hurting you. I'm sorry for making you upset. I'm sorry for being a burden to you." He said, still sniffling. I smiled and shut the door. Carrying the tray downstairs, I washed everything and went back upstairs to bathe.

When I came out of the shower, Tao was fast asleep, cocooned in the sheets. I checked his neck and saw that the fever was almost gone. I gently unwrapped him so he wouldn't get hot but still not be cold and sat in the chair next to the bed.
"You idiot. You were never a burden. You were just being you." I gently touched his shoulder.
He would always reprimand me whenever I apologized to him after he had to go to great lengths for me. He never once told me he loved me. He never once asked me how I was doing whenever I came home. He never even said thank you, that I've heard.

But he showed his love in other methods.
Like how he would sometimes leave little trinkets in my bag during class and how I would mysteriously have lunch everytime I forgot mine at home. His caring side was like that too. He would massage my shoulders when he knew I had had a bad day at school. He would place small sticky notes with little messages of encouragement on them on my locker and on my door.
He always showed his thanks by doing something for me, whether or not I had done something. Like making dinner for me, tidying the house, washing my clothes, even cleaning my room!

And I loved him for it.

He knew that I loved him because I told him eveery chance I got.
I knew he loved me because of how he treats me. He tells me things straight-up: no sugar coating. Like telling me how he was jealous of his friend D.O because I was always talking to him, and telling me to stop streaking around the apartment, it makes him uncomfortable. and at one point in time, he made me go with him to SM Ent every evening so I could do my homework instead of watching TV.
I could name hundreds of other things he's done to show his affection but I won't. All I will say is that I love every part of him and I would never ever want him to change. 

That evening, when Tao finally woke up, I was doing my homework.
"Feeling better?" I asked, not looking up from my Math book.
He didn't asnwer. Instead, he got up from the bed, walked over to me and stared at me. I looked up and smiled. Standing, I hugged him and kissed his cheek.
"You should shower. You smell funny." I said, releasing him.

But he hugged me back. I was in shock. He had never actually hugged me back, only patted my head. So this was a shock to me.
"Thank you." he whispered into my hair.
I smiled and put my arms back around him.
 

As I said, he's not your average boyfriend but he's mine so you don't have to worry.

"I love you so much Tao." I whispered. His heartbeat was loud in my ear. It was beating fast.
And then, the unexpected happened:
He cupped my face in his large hands and kissed me. Then he whispered.

"Wo Ai Ni."

END
************************************************************************

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Hope you enjoyed! ^^
 

♥♥♥♥♥♥TAO♥♥♥♥♥♥