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Crave You


Why can't I keep you safe as my own? One moment I have you the next you are gone.

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SPRING FESTIVAL IN THE PARK: movies and live music from 7pm - 12am May 29 at Mapo Park! No entry fee, be there to celebrate the end of the school year! Tao scanned his eyes over the flyer, smiling to himself. Thinking it would be a great way to celebrate the last day of school, he ripped the page off the wall and quickly pocketed it. He walked down the hallway, daydreaming about that festival that would happen the next day.


Why can't you want me like the other boys do? They stare at me while I stare at you


Tao sighed loudly, running a hand through his hair once more. The sun had not set and he already felt smothered in the hot, humid air. He grabbed his hello kitty hand-fan and fanned himself, only resulting in blowing more warm air into his face.

Currently shirtless, the teenager bemoaned over how he would ever manage to keep clothes on in this state of weather. As the clock struck ever closer to seven, he fretted more and more. He had picked out the most breathable clothes possible while still looking good enough to get a date. And damn well he needed one. Tao was faced with quite a dilemma. He wouldn't be able to go to the festival with someone, on account of all of his friends being douchebags with better plans than sweating out litres of water at night. If he wasn't going to the festival with someone, then he was going to leave the festival with someone, and/or their phone number.

Tao, having put off getting dressed until the last minute, yanked on his T-shirt and adjusted his shorts. He ran down the stairs and to the front door, nearly tripping over everything in sight as tried to pull on his socks while hopping forwards. Quickly he laced his shoes, and while bidding his mother adieu, he exited the house.

Tao decided to jog to the park at a slow pace, in order to minimize sweat. He didn't want to arrive to a party already gross and disgusting. He thanked the heavens as he walked into the park, lucky that he lived only a few blocks away.

He could hear the movie playing before he saw it, the film being some boring romantic comedy appropriate for the whole family, but not Tao's tastes. He could see the field was full of blankets, some housing families and others occupied by a solitary teenager. Tao quickly realized that he should find some teen that was willing to share their blanket with him.

As he scanned the crowd for familiar faces, Tao found that he knew next to no one there, aside from the few families he had babysat for. As he searched further he laid eyes on a fellow in Ray-bans sunglasses, a quite colourful pair. The sunglasses wearing boy smiled lazily and flicked a single finger, beckoning Tao to where he was sitting. Tao, feeling awkward and desperate for a seat, immediately walked towards the stranger.

Having found his way to the blanket, Tao nodded and thanked the stranger. "Thanks for sharing your spot. I'm Tao."

"This really isn't my spot, it's my sister's, but it's cool. You can call me Chen." Chen smiled as he leaned back, relaxing on the blanket.

Silence enveloped the two as the movie played. Tao really wasn't interested in the film at all as he studied the stranger sprawled out next to him. The sunglasses really provided a sense of mystery, he thought, trying to come up with a reason for why Chen was rather intriguing. He quickly realized that Chen wasn't watching the movie either, and that the other teen's focus drifted between the setting sun and Tao himself.

It seemed as if an hour had passed before Chen broke the silence. "This movie ," he started "and neither of us are even watching it. Honestly, I just came here for the live music." Tao nodded.

"I expected something better than this."

"Didn't we all? At least this 'll be over soon and we'll get something worthwhile." Chen smiled, his teeth glimmering for a split second.

Silence enveloped the two once again.

"What kind of music do you like, Tao?" Chen asked, looking curious.

"Pretty much anything but ballads. I can't stand ballads. And you?" It was Tao's turn to ask a question.

"Personally I like house and rock, but as long as it's not country I'm fine, really." Chen paused for a split second. "But my best guess is that they wouldn't play anything that slow here, now would they?"

Tao smiled, shaking his head. "Personally, you're much more interesting than this movie."

"Why thank you. I think of you the same, someone pretty like you is much better than a plain movie." Tao blushed at these words, his cheeks a pale pink.


Around his little finger, that boy has got me curled. I try to reach out, but he's in his own world


Tao looked up at the night sky, and then his watch. The movie had lasted for a dreadful hour and a half, but now that the credits were rolling the families were leaving the park, and more teens were flooding in. The screen that was once projecting the movie was being rolled up, reveling a stage with various pieces of equipment on it.

"You know what bands are playing?" Tao asked Chen.

"Some indie group called flight facilities, but I don't know any other bands here." Chen remarked, pushing his sunglasses back up the bridge of his nose.

"You're not taking those off? It's pretty dark out here." Tao questioned, looking at the once-again-grinning Korean next to him.

"Nah, I'm keeping them on. I gotta keep the mystery alive. No magic without mystery, man; the glasses come off, the fun ends."

Tao would have responded but music started to play. It wasn't something memorable but at the moment it was perfect. Chen was bobbing his head at first, and Tao tapping his toes, but by the next song they were full-out dancing, and though they lacked any experience it was perfect.

It was 9:00 by the time the next band had started, a salsa band that made everyone partner up and dance. Tao looked around for a second, sure that Chen wouldn't want to dance with him until the other grabbed him by the waist.

Bands came and went, and the two continued to dance together until Tao was slightly out of breath and all too sweaty. He chose to gaze at Chen, smiling out of pure content. He was snapped out of his trance by the boy himself.

"Hey, that's them! Flight Facilities." Chen smiled, and Tao couldn't help but smile with him, the other's grins were contagious.

A girl hopped up on stage as the piano began to play, the beat kicking in. She swayed back and forth, leaning to and fro with the microphone. The crowd began to do the same, Chen resting a hand on Tao's shoulder; Tao putting a hand on the boy's waist.

"Why can't you want me like the other boys do? They stare at me while I stare at you. Why can't I keep you safe as my own? One moment I have you the next you are gone." The lady sang, and something about the song seemed familiar, but Tao couldn't tell what.

Chen whispered something flirtatiously along the lines of 'I'm having fun' and Tao's heart beat faster. The night was electric and Chen was the center of the world.

"Rehearsed steps on an empty stage, that boy's got my heart in a silver cage." Chen leaned a little closer to Tao, but glided back as the other did the same, grinning. "Why can't you want me like the other boys do? They stare at me while I crave you."

"You're blushing." Chen said, muffling up the next bit of the song as he was far more important than the song.

"Am not." He could feel the blood rushing to his cheeks though, and knew he was. He was falling for Chen, though really he didn't mean to. He still ignored the song, trying to catch Chen's playful glances. They were rare, but amusing.

"My heart broke when I saw you kept your gaze controlled." And Tao thought the song described him just fine.

The two chatted and swayed to the song, with the thought of how amazing Chen was in the back of Tao's head, and looked up to hear the last "Crave you." of the song. Couples cheered, people rushing around the field.

"Next band , let's go." Chen whispered, pulling Tao by the wrist and away from the park. They walked in silence, hands intertwined, as Chen lead the other to a corner store. They were just as quiet during their time in the store, Chen taking the time to buy some drinks that were most likely alcoholic, though the lady at the cash register glared at them. Her anger might have stemmed from the hand holding, or that teens were buying alcohol, but she didn't stop them.

"What are these?" Tao asked when Chen offered him a can of the beverage. The two were at the other end of the park, watching people leave as the festival slowly came to an end.

"Dunno really, but they're cheap. They're like soda and alcohol mixed together, but I think the alcohol content is really low or something, because no one's stopped little underage me from buying them." Chen said before taking a swig of aforementioned drink. Tao did the same, he had given up trying to read the can's label in the dim light of half-dead street lamps. After finishing the can he was feeling buzzed, something surely his mother would never approve of.

"Wanna go to the pool?" Chen offered, already walking towards the pool in question. Tao nodded happily, swimming being one of his favorite summer pastimes. The thought of getting to swim with a hot guy that might or might not like him also excited Tao, who burst into a jog, no longer caring about how sweaty he was in the still muggy heat.

The two stopped at the fence before deciding that it was harmless to scale as it lacked barbed wire. Chen was nimble, climbing up quickly while Tao was more cautious, being sure not to fall. They hopped down the other side, Chen kicking off his shoes and slipping off the sunglasses as he sat down with his legs in the water. Tao did the same, kicking his feet around as they took off their shirts.

Chen hopped in first with Tao following a second behind. They lazily kicked around the length of the pool, floating on their backs. Tao tried to see what Chen's face looked like in the hazy moonlight, but the boy's sun-browned hair hid his eyes. They played in the water, chatting and swimming, though Tao couldn't exactly remember what they were talking about. Eventually they got out of the water, but Tao's memory of the events after was blurred at best.

He could, however, remember singing that song on his way home that night with Chen's number hastily written in smudged sharpie on his left arm. They stare at me while I crave you, I am craving you.

A/N
Was listening to Flight Facilities' Crave You featuring Giselle and got inspired. I know I should be working on my other stories as of now, but I decided to write this thing on my weekend when I should be cramming for my finals and all the tests I have to take before them... ugh I hate the end of the semester. I definitely miss summer break, no wonder I wrote this! I didn't edit, so sorry in advance for any and all grammatical errors. Comments, upvotes and subscriptions are greatly appreciated, I love to hear all y'all's thoughts.

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kennocha #1
Chapter 1: aww, that was cute!
star-fragments #2
Chapter 1: Oh.
Oh this is lovely.
ChanTao is not that popular of a pairing, so I'm always happy when I get a little glimpse in "their" lives.
Thank you for posting, this was increasingly nice. Loved them both.
See you around.