A/N pt 1

So three things before we start

1. I GOT A POSTERRRRRR^^^^

2. Do you see a new tag? Cuz i see a new tag

3. I'm sorry i keep saying i'll update soon and then i dont...

okay lets do this...

When Tao wakes up it's to complete silence.

His breath stills and dust motes seem to slow their descent in a non-immaculate room. The heavy drapes undrawn, not allowing light to penetrate the darkness, yet he still wakes up and cannot return to sleep.

As he sighs and takes in his surroundings, accepting his early awakening, he's reminded that he's currently occupying Luhan's room.

...in Yifan's apartment.

A light pink paints his face and he almost slaps himself. His fingers grip the sheets a tad bit too roughly as he tosses back the covers and moves around to wake himself completely.

Yifan is all he thinks about as of late...though he does try to avoid the subject. The effort is done in vain as not to become negligent to his other priorities.

Because who is he kidding. If he even starts to think of the man he just starts to hyperventilate.

Over dramatic? Maybe.

Absolute truth? Definitely.

When his phone rings, startling the hell out of him, it rings with the finality of an impenetrable change.

Approximately two hours later he discovers why exactly he had to enter the world of the living earlier than he would have wished.

A ring.

That's all it was that forced Tao out of bed and into humanity early on this day. His breath leaves him heavily as he scrutinizes the ring closely.

It’s a tiny little silver thin band with intricately delicate features adorning the sides in a lattice pattern. Its docilely pretty yet still carries an air of androgyny that Tao wasn’t even aware an inanimate object could have.

Until now that is.

But still, he hates to think he left the apartment, on a day without classes or work, this early for...a ring.

Really?

The ink haired student stands in confusion, in the hallway of Yifan’s apartment, just outside of the elevators.

The questionable ring being rolled between his thumb and index finger as his other hand unconsciously crumbles the packaging it arrived in, his board tucked under the same arm.

He had gotten a call a call about an hour and a half ago about a priority package having been delivered to his apartment building.

Since he isn't currently in said building he had to take a deep breath, scope out the hall for safety, proceed once he accepts his current roommate isn't in said hall, and trudge all the way over there.

He had lazily at the last second returned for his board to instead skate all the way there because what's the difference between that and taking a bike?

 He really has done too much for a free day.

He has skated all the way to his apartment to meet with his landlord, who so kindly took it in for him, got the package, ordered himself a coffee, drank the coffee, returned to Yifan's apartment complex, and now is left in absolute befuddlement over why his grandmother even mailed him a ring.

Of all things the crazy, loveable, old lady could have sent him it just had to be a ring.

It should be a clear symbol, because it is hinting at something but that coffee with a too long name is just not kicking in fast enough.

He continues to stand confused with his eyes crossing from staring too long. He doesn't even pay attention to the short male that passes him by curiously eyeing him as he enters the apartment across from Yifan's.

Blinking rapidly Tao tries to connect two and two together because it seems a part of him just doesn't want the answer to be four and keeps it from himself subconsciously.

But oh, when he works through that morning fog that is his brain and the coffee spikes his blood stream his confusion doesn't last long.

Once it hits him Tao just finds himself wanting to slam his head into the nearest pipe.

Or better yet let someone else do it for him.

It's starting.

His grandmother had done it with his older brother, Zhoumi and now she's starting with him.

The blood drains out of his face and Tao would like to take this moment to take back all the laughter, jokes, and eye rolls he had aimed at Zhoumi while his brother dealt with all this first.

While Zhoumi had gotten married, to a rather nice lady in fact, the poor guy could barely keep his dignity intact during it all.

Even if most of that pain was caused by Tao himself.

Whoops.

And now Tao wants to slap himself because all the signs, well one, point to the fact that his beloved Grandmother wants him to get married soon.

Friggity frick frack .

The ink haired student finds himself leaning into the wall of the hallway as he breathes heavily through his mouth. The noise coming out similar to a horse's neigh because of his sudden shaking.

Face pressed against the drywall he slides down the hall with a feeling akin to his soul departing from him settle into his bones.

The poor thing barely wanting to be tethered to him any longer.

Little whimpers bubble past his lips and he finds himself gripping the wall pathetically, fingers clawing onto the side paneling of nearby door frames.

A long trailed out, "noooo..." being the only thing he can think to converse albeit it sounding like a mumble.

Eventually his actions are forced to a halt when he trips on a welcome mat outside someone's door and almost face plants the floor.

He unconsciously puts his board's safety over the, who knows how much ring, and clutches it tightly with one hand. In the process the ring flies from his fingers and rolls dramatically in a circle to stop in front of a small brunette male, who's been watching him for some time now with a deceivingly polite smile.

Tao doesn't even care at this point and simply stays in a half side straddle with the wall. All he can think about is how much hell he's soon to go through because of that woman.

He doesn't want get married soon. Hell, the old woman probably has dementia now.

He's still in college, damnit.

Who even does that? Getting married in college he means. It’s a bit much. Some people probably do it but not Huang Zitao.

He's only nineteen for God's sake. He doesn't even have time to date. Much less marry someone.

Unless it's Yi-

Wait.

Zhoumi was, like, twenty five when this started. Can't Tao just argue with her that he's too young?

Most likely not, but it's the only cow he has and he's gonna milk it out.

His angsty young adult life just got another layer of Sauske caked on.

A snicker almost escapes him because he's losing his ing mind right now and cows.

Heh.

"Uh, is this yours?" A quiet voice asks.

Tao blinks, looks from wall to wall once, and rights himself against it. Kinda ashamed that he ended up like this in the first place.

Man, is he embarrassing lately.

He turns with a sheepish grin, trying to appear normal, to a short pixie like male holding his ring out with a smile.

"Oh, um, yeah, thanks." Tao coughs taking the ring and shoving it in his pocket.

He hadn't been aware there were others near. But then again he's strangely never seen any of Yifan's neighbors before.

Maybe this place is that new?

Or he's too high on the prospect of being close to Yifan soon?

He really hopes it's the first option because the second one is embarrassing.

The brunette continues to smile at him, "Um, well, hi! I'm Baekhyun and-"

The door behind him opens with an accidental slam and a very tall, slightly taller than Tao that is, male with a dark blonde ponytail at the back of his head exits the apartment in front of Yifan's with a box in his arms.

Tao takes a moment to realize that he managed to slide all the way down the hallway half dead how? Because he's somehow right in front of Yifan's apartment.

That's a good twenty feet from the elevators.

 That he initially started sliding from.

The other male is too busy staring at the contents of the box to notice Tao blinking rapidly in his own world of calculations that when he opens his mouth his unexpectedly baritone voice is quite loud,

"Hey, Baek, what is all this...shi-miscellaneous items?"

The ink haired male jumps so violently with his head snapping up that Baek has to hold back a snicker.

But then the tallest does look up and almost immediately cartoonishly large eyes gawk at Tao, not having realized till now that there was another person present.

Well maybe not 'gawk'. But with the size of his eyes it seems appropriate to Tao. And his voice appearing out of seemingly nowhere just caused Tao to have a good ten years of his life severed away.

Baekhyun gives the taller male a pointed look at being interrupted, the other smiles sheepishly, and he continues, "-and this is Chanyeol. We're newlyweds, sadly."

That last part tacked on as he recalls what Chanyeol almost referred his belongings as.

"And my things are not , ."

He bites out and slaps the taller on the back of the head. Tao blinks once more because somehow it's still affectionate with the way Chanyeol, was it? fake sobs as he rubs the spot with whines.

“Well, I'm Tao and I should go now..." He edges away from them and pulls the spare keys from his pocket slowly. He's hoping they're too preoccupied with each other to notice his attempt at not socializing.

Slowly opening the door he takes notice of how nicely it glides. Ah, such luxury, much rich.

He's in the clear from being noticed and all he has to do is silently shut the door now. When he peaks out he sees that the two are back to smiling at each other. Even if it appears they're arguing about something.

It's cute and for a second Tao’s imagination gets the best of him and he thinks up a scenario starring him and-

"Yifan!"

.

He let the reigns go again.

Ice runs through Tao’s bloodstream as he recracks the door open. Eyes wide and head tilted back in surprise as Baekhyun and Chanyeol's heads whip to him with eerily similar grins.

"Wh-what?" There's a blush smattering his cheeks and the couple's grins deepen.

A twin chorus of "nothing!" has Tao racing to shut the door with more strength than thought necessary.

Leaning against the door he sighs and pats his pocket for the ring. It's still there and the weight of the imposing situation makes him feel heavy suddenly.

If someone had of asked Tao many months ago if he wanted to get married he would have laughed and shook his head because that isn't even an option on the table of life he's currently dealing out.

But now, he's ashamed to admit it but there's only one person he can think about having such a bond with.

Tao's not stupid though, he's aware that his infatuation with the elder knows no bounds, but the reins he holds them tight to, yet he can't help but allow his imagination to run free.

Like now.

When Tao opens his eyes, shoves his board in a corner, and pads off set to hide in Luhan's room once more he instead spies Yifan asleep on the couch. He hadn't noticed this morning as he had breezed past.

Emotions running rampant and his sugar high, from the extremely artificially flavored coffee, in limbo he slowly walks closer with weighing footsteps.

Why he's asleep on the couch is a good question, yet an even better one is why is Tao kneeling down and placing his face on the cushion near Yifan's?

At the moment he feels nothing but a soft pulsing radiating from somewhere within him as he lays his hands clasped underneath his head.

Tao smiles as his thoughts drift away from him in evaporating wisps.  Eternity itself is frightening but at the thought of that eon being spent with Yifan those fears trickle away.

Dissolving into nothing but pessimistic scum that can be scraped away with a gentle soap called hope.

This quiet moment is precious and means the whole world and back.

Yifan almost looks ethereal with the light from the drawn curtains shadowing his features. A light, cute, snore ghosting past his lips. Hair tousled and the skater can see the outlines of tattoos through his thin white tee.

Something newly discovered, he takes note.

And Tao pouts because somehow Yifan manages to be confidently suave at times yet can also be awkwardly adorable at others. He has too many layers that have yet to be peeled. He hasn't even scratched the surface.

All those times Luhan would look away in dissociation at some embarrassment his brother has caused the younger would find himself having another carving labeled Yifan's ingrained into his heart.

Oh, would that Wu Yifan be a stark contrast to the Yifan at work when one of his underlings makes a detrimental mistake. He'd be forgiving yet callous enough for you to think twice about being negligent again.

Then there's the Yifan somewhere in between. This is the man Tao sees when he's observing him from afar.

In those moments when Luhan does something stupid and he lightly scolds his eye-rolling sibling.

When Kyungsoo says something disturbing and he can only awkwardly laugh with fear or when he interacts with Sehun of Kai, usually giving out older brother-like advice that would otherwise fall on the deaf ears of Luhan.

Before Tao knows it he's reaching out and has got his hand interlacing with the older's resting on his chest.

He shuts his eyes in bliss because Yifan is the only person he'd want to be with and for now this right here is enough.

"Hey, do you think Yifan's awake yet?" Kai muses aloud as they take in D.C. at night for the first time.

It's strange to be able to speak freely knowing that most people don't understand what they're saying or are unintentionally eavesdropping.

It's kind of liberating in a sense because you don't feel judged in the normal sense, but in a foreign sense. And there is nothing wrong with that feeling, cause it's bound to happen anyway. It's unenviable when traveling.

They just dropped their bags off in their hotel rooms and have decided to go out for a late dinner, instead of clocking out like everyone else.

Luhan looks up from some travel brochure, he snatched from the front desk, to lazily answer Kai, "Maybe, why?"

Though the "why" is not supposed to mean "what for" but rather "does that even matter".

Sehun tilts his head with a straight lipped frown refusing to say a word. Kai shares a look with him and they shrug. They don't speak for awhile though because when it comes to the lovely deer Lu it's say , get hit.

They also don't want to get arrested, for the second time, in a different country, for the first time, for something as embarrassing as public displays of violence.

But Kai swallows and takes a chance, kicking at stray rubble as they cross the street, "Well because we probably kinda messed up his chance of getting any sleep last night."

Luhan still looks confused so Sehun continues it.

"Meaning he's probably sleeping now."

Luhan nods his head in affirmation. A soft, "oh..." leaving his lips.

"But we didn't care about that last night when we video called him every five seconds on the plane though." The eldest has returned to the brochure on...the zoo maybe, while the two freeze in realization that they're at fault too.

Leaving Kai and Sehun to internally cry because damnit, they owe Yifan. They really shouldn't be making his life hell considering one angry call and they'd be dead.

A moment of silence passes them all until Luhan snorts, "Hey, you guys wanna see Tao's family while we're here?"

The rainbow haired and caramel haired males stop their grieving to give each other looks of confusion because last time they checked Tao doesn't have any family in the U.S.

The eldest almost snorts at his own joke.

"We're gonna go see some pandas tomorrow, boys."

"Hell yas."

" yeah."

The idiots have the audacity to hoot and holler loudly down the street.

A grin pulls at the blonde's face because that, my friends, is how you avoid having a conscious the Luhan way.

When Kyungsoo heads to Yifan's apartment to drop off some paperwork, because Yifan has somewhere to be at twelve, he doesn't expect to be ambushed by his boss' crazy neighbors.

But it happens.

Before he can even knock two people slither up the walls on either side of him.

He sighs.

He might have to commit murder before noon, oh, joy.

"So..."

"Who are you?"

"How do you-"

"Know Yifan-"

"And Tao?"

"What's their relationship status?"

"Because they seem kinda-"

Kyungsoo cuts them off, "Awkward? Yeah, they are. That's them, now who the are you?" He turns with blazing eyes and Chanyeol's the first to back up pulling Baekhyun with him.

"Whoa, we're simply new neighbors who would like to find out more about-"

Kyungsoo raises a hand, "Wait. If you want to find that out meet them both at the same time."

Before they can even argue or agree Kyungsoo pulls out a set of keys and unlocks the door, much to the couple's surprise and joy.

And Yifan's assistant just waves them in with a smile that only flickers in his eyes. This should be fun. Having an actual couple that can be near them twenty-four seven to get them together?

Perfect.

Kyungsoo grins for real when he sees Tao asleep kneeling beside the couch and a very much awake Yifan his hair with the younger's head placed in his lap. Yifan's smile so blinding a diamond can only douse itself in jealousy.

Before the only actual couple in the room can say a thing Kyungsoo beats them to it, "You see these two? They're in love yet they skirt around each other like a fire. Because Yifan would never do this if Tao was awake and he's not questioning why Tao fell asleep next to him."

Yifan's hand stills in the inky locks and he slowly raises his eyes to flinch at the sight of other people.

Seeing Chanyeol he nods because, ah, he met him some time ago when he was first signing the lease. But the smaller plastered to his side has him drawing a blank until Chanyeol steps forward, "Sorry, for intruding, bruh. Oh, this is Baekhyun by the way."

Ah. Yifan greets the male, "Hello, from the norepinephrine Chanyeol was emitting over whether you'd gain delectation from this place I can assume it was all in vain?"

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes at his choice diction. It's obvious he's not able to handle this many new faces.

Baekhyun's eyebrows rise in amused ignorance as he snorts, "What?" because he has no idea what any of that is even supposed to mean. When he turns to Chanyeol and sees a familiar glazed over expression he knows he's lost too.

The assistant steps forward to flick Yifan in the forehead, "No, speak colloquially, fool."

With a pouting grown man rubbing at his forehead behind him Kyungsoo turns around to face the stumped couple, "Excuse him he's not good with people, period. Hence his stumbling over even conversing with Tao. It'd be best if you push them into each other whenever you can."

The two nod quite seriously as Kyungsoo takes out the translated documents from their files and splays them on the coffee table. Sitting down he starts to sort through them as Baekhyun opens his mouth, "Question?"

He's baring a hole into Yifan's soul with the unforeseen eagerness in his eyes and the older can only let out strained out a yes.

But Chanyeol's the one that asks it, "Who is Tao to you?"

His stomach drops because the phrasing and tone of the question could be asking anything.

How do you know him?

Do you care about his existence?

What is he to you?

But Yifan can only swallow his spit because he knows what they mean is:

Do you love him?

His eyes skirt around his living room for awhile and just when Kyungsoo look up with hidden expectations in his dark eyes does he open his mouth to answer.

"Well I guess you could say I-"

He starts and is cut off by his phone ringing in his pocket. Looking apathetically apologetic he answers, "Hello?"

Kyungsoo groans and clunks his head onto the table. Chanyeol and Baekhyun join him and make very animated noisy complaints.

"Come on!"

"I know you're on phone but can we get a reply?!"

"Ohmygod, he's acting like he can't hear us!"

"This ain't one of those cheesy dramas, answer the damn question!"

"But you love those dramas, Baekhyun!"

"I know but not in real life!"

"What's the difference?!"

"It's too nerve racking!"

"Why are we still screaming?!"

A visible vein is throbbing on Kyungsoo's temple as he mentally lights the loud as couple on fire. It's bad enough he has to deal with a dense Yifan but maybe letting those two nimrods in was just asking for high blood pressure.

Yifan spares them a glance as he hangs up, "Well I kinda gotta go see my mom now. You're welcome to stay as long as you'd like."

Kyungsoo shoots him a look of exasperation. It's almost like he didn't hear the idiotic couple's screaming.

And like a switch flipping the two, seconds away from throwing themselves on the floor, smile and nod like puppies. They shut up so instantly that Kyungsoo holds back a shiver of surprise and disgust at they're in sync-ness.

Yifan gently removes Tao's head from his lap and places him on the cushion. But then rationalizes that if Tao's this unconscious he might as well, ehem, put him on the couch. No, Luhan's bed.

 With Kyungsoo straining himself to continue sorting through the documents and Chanyeol and Baekhyun making themselves comfortable by going through his subzero fridge Yifan deems it safe, quietly gathers Tao in his arms, and pads down the hall.

When he opens the door with his elbow he almost shudders at what he's bound to see.

As he places him on the bed, the only area void of random items, he actually has to force himself to return his attention to Tao. Reaching forward Yifan brushes the male's inky bangs from his forehead, his fingers trailing over his cheeks and down his jaw.

When Tao softly sighs and leans further into his palm Yifan's breathe catches in his throat. Before he can stop himself he leans closer, eyes trained on gradiented pink lips.

But then draws back.

No. He'd never do such a thing with the younger asleep.

He turns to leave and doesn't realize he feels no embarrassment but rather melancholy.

Kyungsoo's right. If Tao was awake he wouldn't be like this. But why he can't be like this with the other conscious escapes him completely.

With his thoughts submerging him he slips out the room. As he opens the front door, unseen by Kyungsoo, who's busy with the papers in his hands, he leaves with a simple, "I'll be back in an hour or two."

A hum of a reply later he shuts the door.

Yifan tries not to be hurt.

He really does.

He tries with all his strength to it up.

But he almost explodes with an innumerable amount of pain coursing through his soul when he discovers the reason why his mother's in Korea.

It's not for him and that's fine.

That's not what hurts him. But the fact that it is for someone. Now that is the problem.

Apparently his Aunt Chunhua recently moved here for business and that's what made his mother want to come visit. Really. She's willing to come for her best friend, the adopted aunt of her sons, but not for Yifan or Luhan, her actual sons?

That kind of reasoning makes Yifan grind his teeth as he stands at the same airport terminal in wait.

Luhan wasn't lying about her already being in Korea. But apparently her flight was to Busan and she had some business on some island near Jeju so only now is she coming to Seoul.

She's coming with a surprise too.

His foot taps as he waits and for a second as he glances around he wonders if he should have brought something like flowers. But on second thought, no.

He's slightly peeved but the rational side of him is aware that she probably has a logical reason for this.

Don't get him wrong though. He absolutely loves his mother and would do anything to make her happy. He's just being a child over the fact that him being here wasn't enough for her to come.

But her best friend is?

He's calmed down by the time her flight lands and can only breath deep and slowly as the passengers flood the terminal. He's prepared to see her and possibly whine why she hasn't visited before but he isn't prepared for the arrival of his Aunt's son to be skipping behind her.

The boy was what Yifan recalls thinking of as the better little brother option. Because while child Luhan had to torture child/teen Yifan whenever he seemed fit Yixing was always there to either stop him for warn Yifan.

Yifan ignores his mother as she smiles at him since he saw her before she saw him. It's a good thing she notices where his attention is because she side steps as Yixing comes bounding forward to hug Yifan.

"I've missed you so much, gege!"

He full out sprints into Yifan's arms. At the last second the older had opened them. He stumbles backward a bit still in shock.

He hadn't expected this.

"I missed you so much!" Yixing almost screams into his ears as he clings onto Yifan in complete bliss. His legs wrapping around the blonde's waist as he buries himself in Yifan's neck.

And finally the older's over the shock and with a smile he pats Yixing on the head, "I missed you to."

Yixing's was always more of Luhan's friend than his, but nonetheless just as close. He laughs as it seems Yixing's almost crying into his jacket.

His laughing is abruptly cut off when he spies his mother watching Yixing with pain in her eyes. He's confused for the expression reflecting in her irises almost cuts into him but refrains from speaking.

Opting instead to coax Yixing to stop crying with gentle whispers.

What he doesn't know is that his mother feels more pain than her son ever had over her 'visiting betrayal' right now because she knows her son will never love Yixing the way Yixing loves him.

The proof being in the tears of mixed happiness and misery trailing hotly down his face as he clings onto his lifelong love.

A deep rooted infatuation that Wu Mingxia didn't even see until she saw Yixing hugging onto her son now.

And as she sees Yifan smiling like he'd smile at Luhan her heart breaks over a thousand times for the boy.

A/N pt 2

Hello...

Sorry!!! Its been weeks...

My computer had some wierd security virus thing and i cudnt go on AFF... (cuz im usually on mobile)

so i've stolen my mother's laptop to update!!!

but besides my unexcusable apologizes i should be dishing out all i can say is this

i'M SO HAPPY THAT I GOT A MUTHAING POSTER!!!!!!

I LOVE IT 

DO U LOVE IT???!!!

Its from Perfect Dae Request Shop..theyre closed right now though

and the poster's made by cactus_ (thank u so much i love u)

i love it so much...

just as much as i love all of u for reading my story

this a/n is too long so lemme just say

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH

THANKS FOR READING COMMENTING AND UPVOTING!!!

(oh and i got a job at this real nice clothing store at a mall...ah livin that sixteen life is sweet)

heads up extra point to whoever can decode what Yifan was saying when he was greeting Baek lol that loser

Q#6(?)- What was Yifan trying to ask Baekhyun? (hint: its about the apartment and Chan)

-Tiara