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Yixing’s life was in full bloom. He thought that for a fifteen year old he was doing extremely well. He was enjoying going on different shows and, to be honest, he quiet loved the attention he was receiving. He felt like a grown up. Well, not exactly. The boy still felt that he was just fifteen, but with his little baggage of experience, he started to feel a little like he was a grown up fifteen year old. Not that he really had a lot of time to actually think about such things. It had become almost a regular schedule for him: home – school – home – television studio – home, so in the evening he was too tired to think of anything else but shower and bed. So now, that Christmas was just around the corner, Yixing was glad to have a little break. From school, from television studios, from all the hustle that almost consumed him over the last year.

It was the beginning of December, when his parents told him, that they’re planning to go on vacation somewhere warm and if he wanted, he could go with them. As much as he liked the idea of lying on the warm sand and basking in the sun, just the mere thought of having this whole house all to himself for a while made a playful smile appear on his face, and a whole lot of different ideas on how to make it a bit less clean popped into his head. Therefore, he told his parents to go, while he’ll stay here. His parents always felt so proud of themselves for raising such a polite and trustworthy son, that they agreed on leaving him all alone – excluding Angou – knowing that nothing bad is going to happen. After that trip, Yixing would wish for them to turn back time and either stay or talk him into going with them, because well, spending a few weeks with his parents in the sun is way better than the shame of being a bad friend, he claimed to be, and not knowing how to make everything right again.

Yixing had lived in Changsha all his life. Unlike the most of his friends, he didn’t really want to get out of there. He like a feel of the city, liked people and the atmosphere of… home. To him, it didn’t matter where he went or who his was with, it just felt like he was right where he was supposed to be. While lots of his friends were whispering to each other their teenage plans on finishing school and going away somewhere more ‘cool’, Yixing decided that even if for somebody Changsha wasn’t good enough, he would stay here, because he cherished that feeling of being home. He thought that he’ll probably never find a place anywhere else in the world that would make him feel like that. When he told his parents about that one evening, they only laughed it off, saying that he was too young to think about such things and no one knows where life’s gonna take them. But Yixing was content on that.

He liked the idea of staying in his ‘unfazed to opposite boy’ state for as long as he could. Because when the idea of being friends with girls never put him off, since he had a few ones, the idea of doing something else with them seemed delirious. And the boy way were pleased, that his friends shared his point of few, because he started to fitness boys in his school starting to talk about which girl he found cure, which one was okay and which one he ‘would never ever not in a million years come close to’. Even though Yixing thought that it was a tad harsh to talk like that about someone who will someday give a birth to the next generation, he just couldn’t bring himself to look at girls in that way.

After talking to Tui last September and making her consider being friends, no much had changed. Yes, they would occasionally talk in school or accompany one another to grocery story, when they parents asked them to buy something to eat, sometimes he even invaded her personal little haven on her rooftop. Whenever he’d climb there, he thought about what to talk to her about, but they always ended up silently sitting side by side watching sunset and, occasionally, sunrise. Not knowing what to talk about with this girl bugged him in the beginning, because he didn’t really know her and she wasn’t so cooperative herself on keeping the conversation alive, and she was frustrating to him, and she was always so closed up, not sharing anything about herself with him. But after a while, Yixing got used to it. He realized, that there was no point in even turning his brain upside down in the search of the appropriate conversation topic. Whenever they were talking, the words tend to just fly right out of them, there was no tension and awkwardness, even though Tui really tried to not reveal more than she thought Yixing should know about her. And whenever he joined her on the rooftop, they always sat in silence, that had nothing to do with those thick silences that always made you want to just get up and run away; rather it was a comfortable silence. One that still made you feel that you were becoming closer to each other without actually exchanging words.

The first few days after his parents had left, he spent as the usual scholar. It were still school days anyway, and he was a diligent student. After school, he went home, changed his clothes and went to meet his friends. It was the first time he was left alone for such a long time, so his parents made him call them every evening to let them know he was safe and sound. Yixing really thought that there was even no point in those call, because his neighbors every evening insisted on him having a dinner with them, which was as he believed his parents’ idea. Even though he thought of himself as a grow-up enough, he still liked it very much that his parents took so much care of him. Never did he ever felt left out.

It was the Friday dinner night again, this time without his parents. The boy didn’t even bother to check if he had anything to eat in the refrigerator in the morning, because he knew that even though he had never gotten a personal invitation for the dinner, he was more than welcome at the Lang’s at any given time. He was pretty sure he even had a spare key to the kitchen door at their house somewhere. They were all sat at the dinner table, eating yet again something amazing from Tui’s mother and Yixing once again thought that Mrs. Lang should really teach Tui how to cook. He was in the middle of swallowing a piece of meat, when he heard the question that made him almost choke.

“So, Yixing, I wanted to ask you something, since you’re Tui’s classmate. My daughter doesn’t seem to have a lot of friends… Is she being treated nicely?”

Yixing felt the meat stick somewhere in his throat and started coughing violently. Mrs. Lang rushed to pour him a glass of water, Mr. Lang hit him on his back and only Tui, as he noticed, sat in front of him just looking at him with such a gaze, that for a split second Yixing really did want to choke. As if she was daring him to actually spill the truth. Yixing was aware of how protective she was of her parents. She once told him that, when they tried to make the best of the last warm evenings of the year, sitting on the rooftop. He tore his eyes away from her, finally able to breathe again and feeling his face red as ever. He took the offered glass from Mrs. Lang’s hands and gulped half of it down.

“Are you okay, son?” Mrs. Lang still had his hand on Yixing’s back.

“Yes, sorry… Don’t know why that happened… Sorry…”

“Yes, Yixing, chew more slowly. And be careful, who knows, next time there might be no one to give you a glass of water… or a helping hand for that matter.” It was the first time Tui talked since he had come in through their back door this evening. And, even though, her tone and words were dripping with venom, he knew very well that he deserved every last drop of it. Tui’s parents turned to her astonished by her words.

“Tui! What are you saying!”

“Nothing, mom. Sorry, I’m not hungry anymore. I’ll go finish that English paper we have due to Monday.” She spared Yixing one last look that definitely would have killed him, if not physically, then mentally for sure, and left the table quietly.

“Uhm… Sorry for that, son,” Mr. Lang looked utterly lost from his daughter’s behavior.

‘It’s really really okay. Don’t worry. We had a nasty day at school…”

“Did something happen?”

“It did, but I won’t ever dare to tell you that, no matter how great you guys are. Sorry.” Yixing just shrugged and averted his eyes from both Mrs. and Mr. Lang. “Nothing out of ordinary. Nothing that doesn’t happen with fifteen year old at school. Don’t worry.”

Thinking for a while, he added unsurely. “How do you think… Would it be okay, if I come up to her room for a while?”

“Yeah, sure.”

“Thanks.” Yixing didn’t know what he would say to her, but he felt like he simply had to. Especially after advertising himself in front of her last year and failing at being at least a little bit like the person he had described himself. Hell, if he were her, he wouldn’t even let her anywhere near his house, so Yixing couldn’t blame Tui for her behavior. So, after the main course was over and both adults started prepare table for the dessert, Yixing excused himself and taking a deep breath in front of the stairs, started to climb it. He lightly knocked on her closed door, well aware that once she sees it’s him, he might have a book flying his way, but Yixing needed to apologize to her, even if he’ll be left with a nasty bruise after it. Not hearing anything, he turned the doorknob and opened the door. “Tui…”

“Get out of here, before I help you.”

“Can I just…”

“No, you can’t!” This time, she turned to him and it was the first time in his memory that he saw her crying.

“Tui, I…”

“’Fortress for my friends’, my ! Get the hell out of here, Yixing. You’re not welcome here.” The volume of her voice kept increasing, and the boy was very aware of the fact, that her parents might actually hear her yelling at him. And if they do, there’s a possibility, that it’ll ruin their neighbor’s relationship, so he had to patch things up quickly and on his own. He entered her room and closed the door behind himself. Tui stared at him as if he was an alien. “Are you deaf or stupid? I said get out!”

“Listen to what I have to say and I will, I promi…”

“Don’t you frigging dare saying you promise something. Your promises don’t worth a thing.”

“Fine. Yes, I deserved that. I deserved you telling me to basically choke and everything else you said. Now can I speak?”

“What can you even say to me? Remember how last year you broadcasted how awesome friend you are? You know what, I actually believed it. After all those times we hung out on the rooftop and in parks, after we got to know each other. I really did believe, that you’re my friend, but you’re not. And you won’t be my friend until you start to act on your own.”

“I’m sorry.”

“See, I even knew what you were going to say. Because, you see, when you’re without your damned friends, you turn into a seemed-to-be-a-nice guy again.”

“I am nice!”

“Then why when your friends were throwing all those words my way and humiliating me today, you didn’t say a darn thing?! Why didn’t you, friend? What, you think so too? That I’m just a wallflower that’ll never get anywhere with my calm and shy personality? Sorry, I’m not saying the ‘actual’ words they used. I have enough of respect for myself.”

“But your friends stood up for you! And Mubai did too.”

“Do you see them standing here? Was it them, who said a year ago, that I won’t lose anything from this friendship?”

Yixing had no idea why, but the tears that seemed to dry out the moment she saw him, poured out again from her eyes and he just wanted them to stop, so he unconsciously took a step towards Tui, only to see her step back.

“Don’t you come any closer, Yixing.”

“Ok, I won’t. I just… Tui, I feel bad. I know, I should’ve said something, should’ve shut them up, because you’re nothing what they said.”

“Then why didn’t you?”

“I don’t know. I seriously have no idea. That’s why I’m saying sorry.”

“You know, friend…”

“Can you, please, stop calling me that? It sounds more like ‘an ’ than ‘a friend’.”

“Good, you still have some reason left inside of you.”

“Tui, please!”

The girl signed and sat on her bed. “Yixing, listen, you’re their friend, not mine. And I’m cool with that. Clearly, we don’t work well as friends, so why don’t we just go back to being neighbors and classmates, huh?”

“I don’t want that,” he took few unsure steps towards her chair to see if she would mind, but when she just signed deeply and rested her head in the palms of her hands, he sat in the chair and swirled it to face the girl.

“You’re neither helping nor working with me here.”

“Yeah, I’m not. But really… I know, I screw everything up, but I like your presence in my life. When the guys are not around, I always want to hang out with you.”

“You want to hang out with me, but when we’re in school, pretend as if you never said how frustrated you are about everyone wanting to leave this place or how your buddies keep teasing that you haven’t had your first kiss yet?” Yixing suddenly felt ashamed. She looked so distant when he blurted out about the last part, he didn’t even think she’d heard him, but apparently she had. He was at loss for words. Did she really listen to everything he mumbled when they were sipping hot cocoa from the thermos and remembered it? He stared blankly at her. “What? Surprised I remember?”

“Yes,” he screamed in his mind. “How on earth do you remember? Why did you even pay attention to those stupid words?”

“Well, I do. Because, to me, friends actually pay attention to each other’s thoughts.”

“Give me another chance…”

“And what? You promise you’ll do better?”

“Kinda,” he showed her lopsided smile, that she didn’t seem to appreciate.

“You’re a crappy friend,” Tui now looked outside her window, not even wanting to look his way.

“I am to you, I admit that. But I still stand to my words – you can never have to many friends. And I… You’re my friend. Obviously. I had no idea that I even said anything about first kiss thing and the other stuff. See how comfortable I am around you?”

“Do you even care what I feel? What I want?” She was silent for a while and Yixing tried really hard to find a solution for the mess he had created. “Are you going to give up?”

“Now?” He placed his hands between his legs on the seat, leaning on them and looked up at her. Tui nodded, “No.”

“So frigging stubborn,” he heard her mumble and silently chuckled. “Fine, whatever. You win. But before you get too close for comfort again, I have something to tell you.”

“Anything. Really, anything.” Yixing felt excitement fill him up. He knew he screw up and if it were some of his boys in her place, he wouldn’t even bother, but Tui was his first female friend and girls worked differently, so had to make an effort to make it up to her.

“I’ll need time, so don’t be too… you and stay away for a while.” Even though the ice had been cracked, it was nowhere near melting. “And your friends…”

“I’ll talk to them. They won’t bother you anymore.”

“Thanks.”

“So, am I forgiven?”

“Nope, you’re not. You’re a douche.”

“Gee, thanks, Tui.” They sat in silence for a while, until a certain thought popped into Yixing’s head. “Actually, I kind of have a feeling I won’t need to talk to the boys.”

“And why is that?”

“Well, after you and your friends left the class room, Mubai lashed out on us.” Yixing saw something spark in Tui’s eyes, when he mentioned his friends’ name. “He heard only the ending of everything, but, God, in the year of knowing him, I never saw him so angry.”

“Yeah, he’s my friend.” Tui sounded like she struggled to find her voice.

“Give me a break, will ya? I did agree that I messed up.”

“And that you’re a douche.”

“And that I’m a douche. But seriously,” Yixing now was truly curious. “You guys… what?”

“Classmates, Yixing. And, apparently, he really is my friend. And he’s the only person I know who can solve equations faster than I do. It bugs me.”

“He’s cool.”

“He is.”

They were silent for a while, until both turned their heads to the door, hearing Tui’s father call for them downstairs. Yixing caught Tui’s eyes for a second and stood up, heading for the door.

“Yixing,” he had his hand on the doorknob, ready to turn it and pull the door open, when he heard Tui’s voice. He turned around and saw her standing right behind him, noting only now how short the girl really was. He raised his eyebrows a bit, silently asking her to go on. “Don’t up.”

Stunned. Yes, he was stunned, to say the least. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me. I don’t give third chances,” and with that she lightly pushed him aside, opened the door and headed to the stairs.

 

When he came home after dessert and helping Langs with the dishes, he saw Angou lying on the couch watching him. Yixing sat next to him and wanted to him, but the cat only hissed at him and run away from the boy looking very displeased.

“What’s up with you? I didn’t screw up anything with you, so why acting up?” But Angou only sat under the lowest branches of the Christmas tree Yixing put up few days back, watching his every move. Christmas was just around the corner and with the tree in his living room, Yixing felt the festive cheer creeping up on him. He loved Christmas. And he hoped, that this one with go smoothly.

 

Yixing felt relief wash over him a week later, when on Friday after school, he realized that nothing went wrong for once. No fights, no bickering, no teasing. Even though, he was used to innocent little jokes himself, he felt glad, that none of his friends went overboard with it. And especially glad, that they didn’t take it out on Tui after he told them to leave her alone and learn how to not be , if they wanted to keep theirs attached. Sure, his boys didn’t understand his friendship with the girl, but he didn’t care about that. It wasn’t their business after all. She was his friend, no matter what everyone around had to say about it.

Yixing liked Angou. He really did. He liked his fluffy fur and the way he would sway around his legs even after he had fed him. His purring was soothing and whenever Yixing was cold, Angou was there to warm him up. What he didn’t like was that sometimes he felt as if Angou was more loyal to Tui, than to him. Probably it wasn’t right to keep bowls of food for him in two houses, because Angou seemed to think that he had two homes and two masters. Whenever Tui was feeling low, he would come to her as if he somehow could sense her. It was rather endearing if the cat wasn’t hissing at Yixing every so often. Which happened in all those days, when Tui’s mood was off and when Yixing himself might have had something to do with setting her mood in the wrong directing. But, he though “C’mon, Yixing. Don’t go nuts. He’s a cat. He doesn’t have any powers. He CAN’T know. But apparently he can sense…” He loved Angou, but he was still a bit jealous that his cat would blow him off to go and purr Tui’s troubles away.

It was the day of Christmas Eve 2006. Yixing allowed himself to sleep in, since it was Sunday and to make him look a bit more presentable for when his parent come home later. The first thing he realized when he opened his eyes was the fact that it was freezing cold, even though winter in Changsha was never too cold. He shrugged feeling goose bumps appear on his back, arms, legs, everywhere and, tucking his bare feet under the blanket, threw the warm material over his head. When the air under the thick blanket has become heavy and hot, Yixing poked his head from his self-made cocoon and took a deep breath. Getting up from the warm and cozy bed was the hardest thing to do for him, but he knew that any minute now Angou would start singing serenades for Yixing, asking to feed him. But walking downstairs, repeatedly calling his cat’s name, he heard no response. He didn’t hear Angou rushing to his bowls sounding rather like a hippopotamus running away from someone than not such a big of a cat. Entering the kitchen, Yixing froze in the middle of his step with his leg still in the air. The back door was open. The boy had quite a few thoughts buzzing in his head how. “That’s why it’s so cold in here”, “Did someone broke into the house?”, “If so, then why everything’s in order?”, “Where the hell is that cat?”, “OMG. He’s out.”, “My folks will kill me.” Realization crashed upon him and woke him up completely. He quickly shut the door closed, ran up to his bedroom to put on jeans and sweater, grabbed his mobile phone and rushed out of the house.

“Come on, Tui, pick up… Come on!” The boy was frantically looking around the bushes in front of his house, pressing the devise to his ear, when he heard Tui’s voice answering his call. “Tui! Oh thank God! I need your help!”

“Hello to you too, sweet cakes.”

“Angou ran away.”

“I’ll be out in 2.” The line went dead and Yixing smiled, realizing once again, that whatever people said about the girl, she was a real friend. A kind of friend anyone would want to have.

They were running around the neighborhood calling for Angou and asking passers-by if they saw a ginger cat anywhere here, but no one saw anyone. Yixing was starting to panic, telling Tui, that his parents will be pissed and he’s a lousy excuse for an owner and lots of other stuff. When Tui suggested to split up, he only nodded absentmindedly and told her to call him if… If anything. It was 15 minutes later when someone bumped into him, said a quick “Sorry” and went off. Looking at the back of that boy, Yixing realized that it was Mubai and by the looks of posture, he was fuming. Yixing knew only one reason that could work him up like that, so he went from where Mubai just came. Turning around the corner, he saw Tui and his friends standing next to her. She looked so small next to them, so lost and upset, that Yixing was immediately struck with overpowering want to defend her. He didn’t hear them, but he didn’t really need to hear them, he saw everything reflecting on her face.

“Hey!!!” His friends turned their heads towards him, cut by surprise, and Tui looked at him as if he was her survivor. He approached them and stood next to the girl with his should in front of hers. “I’m going to say this once, so listen up. Leave her alone. She’s my friend, so don’t you dare ganging up on her. If you respect me, if I’m your friend, then you will treat her right. If you weren’t so fazed by the thought of all girls liking boys with that kind of attitude, maybe, you would’ve realized, that it’s not true. Leave her out of it. Got it?”

“You’re defending her?” Xioabing was the first to speak up. “What the heck, Xing?”

“She’s a friend.”

“Yeah, we see that,” Xinxin smirked their way.

“Oh, geez. Whatever, guys. I’ve said my word. Either leave her alone or I’m out.” He beckoned Tui to follow him and without sparing his friends another glance walked away.

“You didn’t have to…”

“Yes, I did,” Yixing interrupted her. Somehow he knew she was going to say that. “You’re my friend and I’m your friend. Friends stand up for each other. And you’re a girl. No girl deserved to be treated like that.”

“Thank you, Yixing.” Yixing just smiled and shrugged his shoulders, telling her it was okay. “Listen, I… I’ll go looking for Angou some place else, okay? Just call if you find him.”

“Yeah, all right. But are you sure?”

“Totally.” The boy saw her walking away from him still not believing that everything was in fact all right. But he knew her, so he never questioned her actions – she was always sure about what she wanted to do, where to go and what to say.

He got a text from Tui later saying that Angou is at her place. But Yixing got more than what he asked for, when he came in through the main door. Behind Tui stood her friend. He never saw this girl in school, but she looked relaxed standing in the Lang’s house, so Yixing assumed that they were friends. She was taller than Tui and looked a bit older, but not so much.

“Hi, I’m Lanying. Tui’s friend.”

“Hi. My name’s Yixing. We’re neighbors.”

“Yeah, I realized. She’s told me about you.” She had a beautiful smile and Yixing felt a little lightheaded.

“Really? She’s never.. Erm… Never…”

“Mentioned me? Yeah, she’s like that.” Lanying had her eyes fixed on the boy and looked away only when Tui approached them with Angou in her hands. The moment Tui’s friend turned to the newcomer, Yixing found himself unable to look away from her.

“Here you go. Mom said she fed him.”

“Where did she find him?” Yixing reached out to take the cat, but Angou again only hissed at him, so the boy pulled away.

“Hey, don’t do that!” Tui squeezed Angou’s body a little bit. “Yixing’s been awesome today. Don’t be so mean to him.” This time, Angou let himself be transferred to Yixing’s arms. “Geez, this cat is really bipolar. That or he can understand what people say. Oh, and mom found him in her bed.”

“In her… bed?! And here I was almost ting my pants thinking he’s already being eaten somewhe…” He stopped midsentence, remembering that there was someone else with them right now, but Lanying just laughed it off. “I better go.”

“Ok, I’ll see you later today. Our folks decided to have a Pre-Christmas dinner today.”

“All right, later then. Bye, Lanying, nice to meet you.”

“The pleasure’s all mine,” she smiled again and walked away.

“And, Tui, thank you for today.”

“I should be the one saying that. Sorry, I doubted you.”

“It happens, friend,” he stepped out of the door, holing the cat close to his chest and turned to Tui briefly flashing her a smile.

“Yes, it does, friend.”

 

It was the same evening, when all of them gathered in Zhang’s house. They were all dressed up a little; the table was full of delicious smelling and looking food. The mood in the room was so light and warm, that one conversation just naturally turned into another and so on. It was a beautiful evening and Yixing thought that if somehow turned into a little boy again now, he would probably be expecting a Santa to appear and shower his with gifts he asked for. That’s how happy he was at the moment. In the beginning he really did think, that he won’t be able to make it all right with Tui and would have to explain his parents why the girl hates him and he can’t go with them to their “Friday nights”. But he made it all right and he was glad… No, happy. Happy that he managed to solve this problems on his own. Proud that he stood up for her. Proud that he actually showed her, that he could be the fortress he implied to be.

“I’d like to propose a toast,” Yixing’s father stood up with a glass of wine in his hand and smiled at everyone at the table with a little tipsy smile. “I would just like to thank you all for being in my life. In our lives. It’s been so great so far and I’d love for our friendship to go on, just as I want my family to bloom. I’m probably not making much sense right now, but it’s all the wine’s fault. It’s too good!” Everyone at the table laughed. Yixing looked at his mother and saw her eyes fixed on her husband, looking at his with so much love and adoration, that it felt too intimate and Yixing felt himself even flushing a bit, thinking that he just caught something that wasn’t for him to catch. “What I’m trying to say is – sometimes, home has a heartbeat. And I’m happy that I’ve found my home. My wife and son… I love you.” They all were about to say “Cheers”, when Yixing’s mother stood up as well.

“Here’s to those who are brave enough to wait and search for someone who leaves them breathless,” saying those words, she looked at Yixing and Tui. “And here’s to those who’ve already found them.” She turned to her husband and kissed him lightly on the lips.

Yixing didn’t think that this evening could become any better. He and Tui were sitting together on the sofa with Angou purring between them, watching their parents have a time on their life, looking more like teenagers in love than their kids do. It was perfect for Yixing’s taste. Everything was great.

Opening the curtains on Christmas morning, his face was showered with sunlight. He yawned and stretched, looking outside the window. Everything was as always, until he saw someone walking the stone path towards Lang’s front door. He saw Mubai knocking on the door, looking rather nervous, then saw Tui open the door in her PJ’s. She looked so surprised it was hilarious. He saw them talk a little bit, then smile at each other and waving goodbye at each other. “I knew it,” Yixing though, scratching his belly. “He likes her.” He knew he didn’t have a sixth sense or anything slightly resembling it, but he was glad that he was right at least in something. Angou was walking around his legs drawing figure eight. Yixing bent down and picked him up.

“You’re more committed to her, than to me, Angou. Or, maybe, you’re just protecting her and trying to put her heart at ease? If that’s the case, then you’re a one precious cat and I forgive you all the hissing and scratching. Thanks. She’s good and we’re going to treat her well, right?”

Angou meowed and jumped off his arms, trying to lead him out of his room… Probably to make his owner feed him. What else, anyway?

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A\N: Credits to the very amazing Beau Taplin for the likned quotes. The man's something else. ♥