Nothing lasts forever~

"Be careful" Suho warned as Yixing grabbed the carkeys and donned a rainjacket. "Its pouring out there and I don't want any accidents okay?"

Yixing gives Suho a crooked grin before pecking Suho's cheek. "I'll be home before you know it." Tao and Mei wandered down from upstairs each giving Yixing a hug before scavenging around the kitchen for some cookies. 

"Keep your eyes on the road and drive slowly," Suho admonished as Yixing raced around the kitchen pretending to chase after Mei. Their daughter squealed in delight, acting like a five year old in a seventeen year old's body. "Stop somewhere if you need to, keep your headlights on." Yixing stopped what he was doing, giving Mei a kiss on the forehead before turning to Suho with a small adoring grin. 

Giving Suho a mock salute, Yixing more or less pranced over to where Suho was and wrapped his arms around his husband. "Tao, Mei could you guys give us a minute," he murmured and laughed as Tao scrambled out of the kitchen a few cookies safe in his hands. 

"Eww dad, too much PDA" he shouted before he dissapeared back upstairs most likely to continue skyping with Kris. Mei cracked a smile before grabbing a yogurt and sprinting upstairs as well. 

"I'll be careful" Yixing murmured, leaning his face into Suho's hair. He grinned as the smell of honey and old paper filled his nostrils and Suho wriggled a little in his grip.

"What are you smiling at," Suho muttered, trying to sound peeved. 

"You have white hairs" Yixing replied, running a hand through his husband's soft hair. "We're getting old, Suho."

Suho pulled out of the embrace, a bit of a flush on his cheeks. "Speak for yourself" he retorted before nuzzling back into Yixing's embrace, pressing a gentle kiss against his collarbones. "I'm still 20."

Pulling Suho closer, Yixing murmured into his ear, smirking as Suho visibly shivered. "I love the feeling of growing old with you. And then one day, we'll be sitting out on our front porch and we'll be old and wrinkled and your head will be filled with white hair. And maybe Tao and Kris will be married by then and Mei will find a nice boyfriend too and we can have an old germain shepherd."

"And you'll look like an old wrinkled prune," Suho snapped but Yixing could hear the smile in his voice. "Now go before I force you to stay home."

Reluctantly Yixing pulled away from the embrace to stare at Suho's face. There were now wrinkles at the corners of his eyes and his skin was becoming looser with age but all Yixing saw was the 6 year old boy he gave his chocolate to; the 18 year old boy he realized he liked; the twenty two year old man he realized he loved. Suho flushed at how he was being stared at but stood on his toes and pecked Yixing's nose. 

"Now, go."

Yixing laughed before grabbing his keys from the counter. "I love you!"

Suho couldn't help the smile that lit up his face despite hearing those simple three words every single day. "Love you too."

It was late and Suho was starting to get worried. The rain outside was relentless, pounding down onto the pavement and the dim streetlights were mere blurs outside the window. 

Yixing had called around an hour ago saying he was headed home and that his phone was dying and Suho shouldn't worry about him but how could Suho not worry? Outside the window it was dismally dark and he had never felt so alone. Tao and Mei were upstairs, most likely fast asleep (or in Tao's case, still chatting with Kris) and Suho was downstairs in a bathrobe, sitting crosslegged on the sofa, his phone clutched tightly in his hand. 

Deciding he couldn't stand the silence anymore he turned his phone on searching for a certain number. The dial tone sounded twiee before an eager voice answered, "Suho! Why are you still awake?"

"Hey Luhan," Suho smiled letting his friend's laughter wash over him. "Couldn't sleep. Yixing's outside."

"In this weather?" Luhan's voice crackled over the phone and Suho smiled at his friend's indignation.

"Yeah, his phone died as well."

"Aww, you poor baby," Luhan cooed and Suho could hear rustling around. "Sehun! Sehun wake up and go check the weather channel."

Suho chuckled hearing Sehun's grumbling, sleepy voice through the reciever. "Its fine Lu. I just checked."

"He's going to check anyways," Luhan sniffed. "Payback for snoring all night." Suho just grinned, settling down more into the sofa, pulling the blanket he grabbed earlier around himself. He let himself relax as Luhan started talking, rambling about his day at the preschool. "And then there are these two kids," Luhan exclaims, "that are the cutest things. I will cry if they don't get married when the grow up. Their names are Xiumin and Jongdae and they are basically you and Yixing as children."

"You didn't know us as children," Suho pointed out amused and Luhan huffed in annoyance. 

"But they are basically you and Yixing as children" Luhan repeated. 

A sudden rapping on outside called Suho's attention away and he almost fainted in relief. Yixing was home. "I think Xing is home, Lu, thanks."

"Anytime Suho," Luhan yawned back before the screen went dark and the call ended. Suho hurried to the front door, flinging it open about to throw himself at his husband and came face to face with a police officer. The only reason Suho could tell through his dazed state was because of the preppy uniform and the grave emotionless face. 

"Are you Yixing's husband?" was all he heard before he collapsed.

He woke up in a white room. His head was pounding and everything was a blurry white mess. All in all, Suho wanted to cry and curl up next to Yixing.

. Where was Yixing. 

He racked his memory for what had happened before he came to this white room. The amount of white in the room was grating on his nerves.

The police officer.. rain.. Suho choked out a half sob before jumping off the bed. Or rather, lumpy white matress that was elevated. Giving one last glare to the lump that was supposedly a pillow, Suho ran for the door. 

Outside was a long hallway filled with doctors and nurses with their hospital getups and patients and papery blue garbs and Suho had to force himself not to throw up. He had never liked hospitals and the metallic smell was getting to him. He grabbed the first person he saw, a doctor with spectacles and a kindly smile. Suho's normally calm demeanor was gone and he growled at the older man. "Yixing. Zhang Yixing, now. Which room is he in."

The doctor eyed Suho warily and Suho realized quite late that he was wearing a papery blue hospital robe too. Growling in frustration, Suho gripped the front of the doctor's robe in anger. "I said," he spat, annunciating each word with force. "Show me Zhang Yixing's room."

Thankfully for the doctor, at that moment Mei and Tao had rounded the corner and were shocked to find their father staring at a doctor, looking ready to commit first degree murder. They rushed over, unclenching Suho's fingers and bowed in apology to the shocked doctor. Taking their father's arms, they led him to another corridor before stopping in front of a room. 

"Dad's in here," Tao whispered and Suho just grunted in acknowledgment. Shaking off his children's restraining arms, Suho marched inside.

"I told you to be careful."

Yixing nodded the best he could with wires sticking out everywhere and shot Suho another crooked grin. Suho had been rambling the past half hour, starting with tears and ending with anger and now he was at the stage where he just repeated the same few words over and over again while caressing Yixing's hands. Suho's hands shook as he rubbed his thumb over Yixing's palm.

"You're an idiot," Suho muttered but there was no energy in his voice. He sounded broken, like a recording that just kept playing. "I told you to be careful."

"But I'm your idiot," Yixing replied cheekily, squeezing Suho's hands. "I'll be okay."

Suho turned towards the nurse for confirmation but got none, the nurse hurriedly backing out of the room, eyes facing downwards. "I just broke a few bones that's all," Yixing continued, shooting Suho a smile.

A few broken bones, a few puncture blood vessels, broken ribs and possibly something vital. You were out in the pouring rain for a long time before we got to you. We're afraid of running any tests on you now because of your condition but... But be prepared for the worst Mr Zhang.

"You should probably go home soon" Yixing teased as Suho woke up from his nap. Trying to subtly wipe the drool off of his chin, Suho ignored him completely.

"Do you need anything else?"

"Yes. I need you to give me one more kiss." Yixing grinned cheekily. He hurt all over and the numbing medicine the doctors gave him made him woozy. 

Suho chuckled before leaning down and pecking Yixing's forehead and he settled back into the stool that had become his permanent residence for the past week or so.

"Suho?" Yixing finally muttered, cracking an eye open to find his husband staring at him with adoration.

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"I love you too." Suho grinned in confusion at the sudden confession. "Where are you going with this?"

You don't have very long left Mr Zhang. Have you told your family members about this?

I've told my children and some close friends...

And what about Mr. Kim? Your husband? Does he know?

"Nothing. I just wanted to let you know."

Suho grinned, leaning forward to kiss Yixing's nose this time. "Silly. I always know. What would I do without you."

"Thankfully you'd never have to find out," Yixing teased before composing his face into a more serious demeanor. "But you would do just fine without me. You'd be happy, right Suho?"

"I don't think I could" Suho muttered back, closing his eyes.

"You could." Yixing retorted. "I know you could," he repeated more forcefully."

Suho smiled, opening his eyes and Yixing hurt inside to see the tears threatening to fall. "Well thankfully I'd never have to find out, right?"

Yixing cracked a broken smile. "Right."

You really should tell him soon Mr Zhang. I think he would be more upset if he didn't know.

Ignorance is bliss Dr Myungsoo. 

"Hey" Yixing greeted as Suho walked in the door. Everything hurt and the painkillers hadn't kicked in yet.

He'll be in more pain if he doesn't know.

"I really love you Suho."

Do you think he would be able to handle it?

"I really love you too Xing." 

He still believes in our forever Myungsoo. That we'll grow old together and be white wrinkly prunes.

"I love you more though."

I can't take away his happiness right now.

"No you don't" Suho laughed. "I love you most."

You're going to end up taking his happiness away anyways. You are his happiness.

"Close you eyes baby, okay?" 

I don't want to die.

Yixing cracked one last crooked smile as Suho grinned happily, looking younger than ever. "Are you giving me candy again Xing?" he accused. "You know I need to watch my weight."

No one does. But the good die young.

"I love you Suho," Yixing whispered one last time.

By the time Suho finally opened his eyes Yixing was gone. The moniter had gone flat, just a straight green line wavering in the middle of a dark screen. The hand that had clutched Suho's had gone cold, the rough finger pads brushing against Suho's palms. Yixing looked like he was just asleep but Suho knew better. He had heard the muted conversations between his husband and the doctor and he knew that death was inevitable. But he didn't think it would be this early.

He could only stare in shock at their intertwined fingers. Still together and yet so far apart. The lazy beeping of the machines lulled him even deeper into his dazed state and he pressed his lips against the cold skin of Yixing's cheek. 

The good die young.

But I don't want to die.

You are his happiness.

He remained sitting there, grasping futiely at Yixing's hands before the pain crashed into him like a wave held back by a dam. The dam had burst and the tears came.

The first time they met, how Yixing had stood up for him despite the scary second graders. 

How Yixing always wore his hand knitted scarf even though as it became worn thin and stringy.

How Yixing confessed to him.

How Yixing felt curled up right next to him

The sound of Yixing's laughter.

The sound of Yixing's voice.

Yixing.

Everything was gone.

He could hear Yixing's voice, teasing him, a soft finger caressing his face, lips joining the rough finger pad. "Close your eyes," the voice whispered. So Suho did.

Suho sat on the front porch, a large germain shepherd at his side. The sun was going down and the bright rays brightened up the face of the old man. He was almost 80, living in the large house he had bought so many years ago with his daughter Mei and her husband, a dashing young man named Taemin. His son Tao had gotten married a few years to Kris just as everyone had predicted and they lived not very far away in their own cozy home. 

His friends often came to visit him. Luhan especially who was extremely lonely without a certain young man chasing him around and calling him hyung. Chanyeol and Baekhyun lived nearby with their daughter Yura and her husband. But no matter how much his children and friends doted on the old man and cherished him, he always felt a tinge of loneliness. 

The small tinge would often bubble up when he was knitting-- a hobby his daughter often for-- a scarf or a small hat for his grandchildren. Or sometimes it would spring up when he was walking his grandchildren to the bus stop. And occasionally when he visited the mall and saw all the young couples holding hands, smiling sweetly at each other. 

He had lived the years of his life after Yixing fully. He raised Mei and Tao by writing best selling novels that topped the charts. The difference was his books were no longer written for the younger generation, based on silly nonsense such as adventures and fruitless romance. The books he began writing were filled with sadness, filled with death and filled with love. 

He had bought the german shepherd hoping to ward off the small tinges of loneliness but they were still there. Whether it was brought by certain sceneries or just the small arched smile his daughter sometimes wore. Or the crooked grin Tao had somehow inherited from him. Or even the slight scent of him that still lingered on the bedsheets or inside their shared closet. 

Suho could hear the faint noises inside indicating it was showertime for Minho. 

"There's soap in my eyes momma-"

"Well then close your eyes!"

Suho let a small smile slip onto his face, the wrinkles near his eyes deepening slightly. The old german shepherd lay by his feet, occasionaly letting out a small whimper as the breeze brushed past. The breeze gently kissed Suho's cheeks and only then did he realize he was crying. Tear tracks lined his face but the smile stayed put.

Close your eyes the wind whispered gently, caressing his face. Close your eyes the wind sighed, gently lifting Suho's bangs out of his eyes. Close your eyes. 

And Suho did.

Mei walked out of the house after finally getting Minho into pajama pants and snuggled into bed. Her hair was soaked through and the slight breeze caused her to shiver. She found her father sitting on his old rocking chair, his german shepherd by his feet. His eyes were closed and a small smile graced his face. 

Close your eyes the breeze whispered, ruffling her father's hair around slightly.

Close your eyes~