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Kris is mesmerized.

He is mesmerized by almost everything. How you can mix anything you want with pancakes, how dogs can be taught how to "sit" or "stay", how there are certain pen inks that bleed through paper, anything. But he is mostly mesmerized with the boy sitting in front of him now at a coffee shop, all messy bleached hair, perfect feline eyes lightly lined with kohl, wonderful nose and the loveliest lips he's ever laid his eyes (and lips) on.

He is mesmerized by how the boy holds his coffee cup like it's the most delicate thing in the world. hands curling along the cup, pretty fingers tap tap tapping as it was still probably too hot to hold for too long.

He is mesmerized by how the boys' lips form into the cutest of pouts when he blows on the latte foam too hard, foam getting to his nose. Kris is mesmerized again. Because the boy giggles, his nose scrunching up and his eyes crinkling into tiny crescents. Kris smiles back as he lightly thumbs off the foam on the boys' nose.

He is mesmerized by how the boy drinks and savors his coffee, how he tilts the cup to his lips once, twice, thrice; carefully sipping to not burn. Kris chuckles when the boy lets out a soft satisfied hum. The latte tasted great, he guesses.

The boy slowly reaches out to hold his hand and Kris is mesmerized by its warmth, by its familiarty, as the boy lightly thumbs the back of his hand and Kris reciprocates by rubbing lazy circles against his.

They stay like this, hands warm in each others' soft grasp, as the boy reads his book and Kris watches. He is mesmerized at how the boy is so engrossed in his book, slipping confused tiny noises from time to time, his eyebrows coming together to form a scowl. Kris, out of habit, reaches out and taps at the crease forming on the boys' forehead. The boy looks up at him and smiles, playfully swatting away Kris' hand, scowl long gone and exchanged with a shy smile.

The boy goes back to his book and Kris continues to look.

"You're staring again, Kris." the boy says, not looking up from his book. Kris smiles.

"Sorry." Kris says as he lets go of the boys' hand. But instead of letting go completely, Kris reaches and cups the boys' face. He leans in and kisses him.

If people are looking, it doesn't matter because Kris is still mesmerized at how the boys' lips fit perfectly against his. How the boys' lips still say soft despite the cold coffee shop temperature. How, despite the light chill, Kris still melts against the kiss and how he wouldn't mind kissing him until the coffee shop closes.

But he breaks the kiss but doesn't let go of the boys' face. Instead, he softly thumbs the boys' cheekbones, their foreheads against each. "I love you, Tao." he says as he slowly gets mesmerized again by Tao's eyes. By Tao's satisfied smile. By Tao's everything. "Your latte tastes great, too." he adds.

"I love you too, Kris." Tao says as he steals a quick peck. "And I know." Tao winks and Kris stays mesmerized.

Kris doesn't need a book right now because in front of him is Tao, the boy who he loves to read, to understand, to know more about, to love. Right in front of him is Tao who still mesmerizes him easily and Kris finds that he doesn't mind. Not at all.