Warning: Language only.

O.o o.O

Tao sat on the edge of his bed, looking around his unfamiliar room. The contents of his overstuffed suitcase hadn’t even begun to fill it up, and even though the touches of him and home were dotted throughout, Tao still felt tears start to fill up in his eyes at the strange shadows cast by the light of his desk lamp against his dark room.

He clutched his favourite stuffed animal to him - a fat panda, aged black and grey instead of white - and sniffled ineffectively as he tried to brush his tears from the soft fur. “It’s okay,” he said to Panda. “We’ll be okay.”

Panda stared up at him with dark, sad eyes. Tao hugged his panda tight, muffling his sobs on the top of its fuzzy head.

“Jesus, kid, it’s four in the morning. What the are...oh.” Kris had pushed his door open - it hadn’t been shut all the way - and he paused in the doorway when Tao looked up, sobs shaking his shoulders as he swiped a hand across his face.

“I’m - I’m sorry, Kris-ge, I -” But Tao was choking on his tears now, and could barely form a word.

“Hey. Hey, come on.” Kris’ voice was soft, a low thrum in the still night, and he pushed the door closed gently and grabbed the box of tissues on Tao’s desk before sitting next to him on the bed.

Tao was strangling Panda in his tight grasp as Kris handed him a tissue and he blew his nose as Kris dabbed at the tears on his cheeks.

Kris didn’t say anything, just sat patiently with an arm around Tao as his hiccups gradually smoothed out into irregular sniffles.

Tao fell asleep like that, head tucked under Kris’ chin and cheek pillowed on his shoulder.

O.o o.O

Tao woke up to shuffling and loud stage whispers. The sun was bright through his half-drawn blinds, and Tao’s stomach grumbled hungrily. He yawned as he lurched out his room, rubbing his eyes sleepily as he blinked and focused on Yixing and Minseok tiptoeing in exaggerated movements around the kitchen. Kris was sitting at the table with his eyes closed, spooning cereal into his mouth mechanically, and Tao was about to open his mouth and call a good morning when Yixing pounced on him with a whispered “Shh! Don’t wake the sleeping dragon!”

Tao’s mouth dropped open soundlessly. His eyes darted to Kris. “Uh. What.”

“Shh!” Yixing hushed again, finger on his lips. “He breathes fire.”

Kris cracked an eye open. “I fly too,” he deadpanned. “Now shut the up so I can sleep while I eat.”

“He has basketball practice,” Minseok whispered to Tao. “Or else he’ll sleep until lunch.”

“O...kay,” Tao said slowly, taking a step back. 


“Are you hungry? I’ll feed you,” Yixing said, smile widening.

“No meatbuns,” Minseok said, and he shared a conspiratorial giggle with Yixing that Tao really didn’t want to know about.

Luhan swept out of his room suddenly, swishy scarf sailing behind him, and linked elbows with Tao. “I’m taking him to K for breakfast,” he said loudly. “Kyungsoo is cooking.”

“WHAT.”

“Will you guys please SHUT THE UP.” Kris flung his cereal box and spoon at their heads and had just lifted his chair to hurl at them when Tao found himself dragged into the rush for the front door.

Yixing caught Tao’s eye as Luhan jimmied the lock for the K suite with a hairpin. “Dragon,” he said, nodding wisely.

Tao just wanted to go back to bed.

O.o o.O