Out All Night

Out All Night
5600 Words
A combination of suggestions by CheesenCrackers and eine08

Kai doesn’t think life can get much better than it is right now. He is currently sitting on his side of the bed watching his boyfriend breathe in and out steadily. He isn’t aware of what time it is, but he knows the sun isn’t up yet and it must be too early to wake Luhan up even if he wants to. But, Luhan isn’t like his past roommates. Luhan doesn’t function well when he doesn’t get his sleep at night. Sure, Kai can become pretty lethargic in the afternoons, but he can find ways to keep his energy up without the lack of sleep getting to him. Luhan, however, gets grumpy.

Kai doesn’t like it when Luhan is grumpy. He finds it a little endearing, but not if it is his fault. Which is why, despite the need to move or talk or do anything, Kai leaves Luhan to his dreams.

Plus, now Kai has a new toy! He pulls out his cell phone and cringes as the display lights up his corner of the room. Kai risks a glance at Luhan, but is relieved to see that the other hasn’t stirred from the sudden glow. He had fumbled through his settings to decrease the brightness settings a few days ago, but in contrast to the dark room, it is still too bright.

Kai finds Suho’s number in his contact list. Right now, Suho is the only hybrid that Kai has a number stored for. Most of his other friends don't have cell phones, just like how Kai used to lack having one himself. He takes a moment to send Suho a message to see if he is awake.

Suho gave me his phone. He’s tired - it’s Baek.

Kai is giddy. He only wishes he could play with Baekhyun instead of merely messaging him.

Hi! Whatcha doin?

Thinking of going out. Wanna meet me at the club?

Can’t. Luhan.

Luhan’s asleep, isn’t he? Just come out. What are you going to do, just sit in the dark?

It’s okay. You should go have fun though.

No, meet me at the club. Just for an hour or so. You can go back to your boyfriend before sun up.

Kai looks at Luhan and wonders if leaving is okay. He doesn't have to ask for permission, but he wonders if Luhan will panic or get mad at him when he wakes up. He shakes his head. Luhan has never been mad at him. It isn’t like Kai is doing anything deceitful or ‘wrong’. Kai guesses that he can always just leave a note.

Kai finds a piece of paper and thinks of what to write. He supposes the simplest truth will be most appropriate. ‘Can’t sleep. I am visiting with Baekhyun. I will hopefully return before you wake up. Love you!’

Kai places the paper on his pillow adjacent to where Luhan is sleeping peacefully. He quickly throws on a layer of clothes, including one of his bright blue beanies, and walks to the door. He takes his spare key and locks the door behind him so that Luhan can sleep safely. At least, at this hour, all of the busses should be running on time.

Kai joins Baekhyun at the counter at their familiar hangout. Baekhyun laughs and throws out jokes about the last time they were there together and how much fun it was watching Kai jump over the table. Kai isn’t so sure he thinks it’s as funny as Baekhyun, seeing as how it was rather embarrassing after the fact.

“Oh lighten up. It was cute to see you so protective of Luhan,” Baekhyun states while elbowing Kai against his arm.

“You need a hobby or something. You get too much joy in this,” Kai grumbles.

“We can’t all go out for coffee and find a boyfriend like that,” Baekhyun states while snapping his fingers.

Kai stares at the steamed milk in the mug in front of him. He smiles to himself at first. He supposes he is quite lucky. Maybe too lucky, he thinks. “I don’t always know how to control myself around him. Everything is really intense.”

“Just be glad you’re not a female. At least you can avoid the craziness of the whole heat cycle thing,” Baekhyun states, derailing Kai from his innocent thoughts and making him think of other things. Baekhyun simply thinks he’s being his typically amusing self until he notices the other staring even more determinedly at his mug.

“Yeah, but, it’s still intense - now.”

“Wait.” Baekhyun pauses while making sure his entire attention is on Kai. “So you and Luhan?” Baekhyun wiggles his eyebrows in suggestion, but Kai is too fixated to see the gesture.

“Yes.”

“And?”

“Really good.”

“Better than…?”

Kai nods. He doesn’t like talking about things in the past, but since Baekhyun knows all of it, he doesn’t have to say much before the other understands.

“That’s terrific! Luhan is good for you. He’s really sweet, even if I’ve misjudged him a little in the past. And even if he’s not a hybrid.”

“That part is still hard to grasp. I’ve only ever dated hybrids. I’m still wary of some of the people I work with. Luhan feels like the only human who actually likes me.”

“Even if he is, run with it. As long as he treats you right, then it won’t matter after a while.”

Kai nods. “He does a lot for me, Baek. I want to do more for him too.”

“Does he complain about anything?”

“No, never!” Kai says rather adamantly.

“Then you probably don’t need to do anything. I mean, unless you really want to.”

“I do, but I don’t know what.” Kai stares at his drink in deep thought. He’s been thinking about this for a little while. He would like to surprise Luhan or something. He finds it troubling that he can’t come up with anything.

“Is there something that he does that you could surprise him by doing it first? Is there anything that you feel is missing or that you can add to what you already have?”

Kai bites his lower lip. Luhan does a lot of things. Luhan does everything. All Kai does now is play at the apartment when he isn’t at his job. Luhan takes care of everything even after working all day. “Luhan cooks, a lot,” Kai offers while thinking of one of the more obvious tasks that Luhan undertakes.

“No, no,” Baekhyun shakes his head. “There has to be something else.”

Kai takes offense. “What are you saying? I can cook! I can make Luhan something for a change. It doesn’t have to be anything really fancy. In fact, it would be nice so that he doesn’t have to do it when he comes home. I could do it.”

Baekhyun is about to retort when a certain pink haired server appears in front of them at the counter.

“Refills?” Sehun asks.

Kai’s gaze snaps up. “Sehun.”

“Yeah?” the other asks, since his name isn’t exactly an answer to his question.

“Hey, look, I’m sorry for that one night. I know I didn’t do anything…”

“Except break a bunch of glasses,” the pink-haired boy mentions with a smirk.

“Yeah, well, I’m sorry.”

Sehun’s tail swishes happily behind him. “No worries. New boyfriend. I get it. Next time, however, I’m charging you for the broken dishes.”

Kai scowls at the other. “Just don’t touch Luhan again.”

This sets Baekhyun into a round of laughter. “He’s not even here and you’re ready to pounce!”

“Not interested in humans anyway. He’s all yours. Refills or no?” Sehun redirects.

Baekhyun nods and pushes his glass forward. Kai hasn’t finished his so he simply shakes his head while staring at the mug.

The two friends lapse into comfortable silence until Sehun brings Baekhyun’s drink.

“Seriously though, other than cooking, is there anything that you think Luhan would like or appreciate?” Baekhyun brings back up.

“No. I mean, we live comfortably. I don’t think Luhan really wants for anything.” Kai wouldn’t know the first thing to buy the other anyway.

“Aren’t you still in that studio? I mean I know it’s like your lover's nest, but now that you have a job you two could afford something bigger,” Baekhyun suggests.

“First of all, it’s not a lover’s nest. You’re weird. Plus, we don’t need anything bigger. Luhan’s place is nice,” Kai states somewhat defensively.

“Maybe a one bedroom instead of a studio would give you more space to stretch so-to-speak? It could then be both of your places instead of you feeling like it’s ‘Luhan’s’. You could surprise Luhan by finding something and suggesting it. Hey! Then you can be out in the living room instead of trying to be quiet while Luhan is sleeping in the middle of the night. That’s a win-win, right?” Baekhyun excitedly babbles while Kai stares at nothing in particular.

A bigger apartment? It would be really nice, in a lot of ways. Kai thinks.

“I’ll look into it.” Kai shrugs. He doesn’t know if it’s the best answer to wanting to do something for Luhan, but the idea of having more room to play starts to poke at Kai’s mind. He doesn't have the right to be selfish, but he would be able to give Luhan more peace at night. Kai figures that it really wouldn't hurt to look and if he finds a place he can surprise Luhan with the idea.

Kai smiles as he takes another sip. Sometimes, Baekhyun is brilliant.

Luhan isn’t one to think pessimistically about much. If life is going good, then Luhan is along for the ride. He reasons that thinking negatively is a waste of a good day. Which is why, he’s even more confused at the way his brain is suddenly preoccupied with worried thoughts about one such hybrid, who happens to be his first actual boyfriend.

Luhan sits up in bed and worries the corner of a small piece of paper on which Kai has handwritten another cute message about leaving in the middle of the night. It’s the 5th letter Luhan has found. Sometimes he finds them after Kai has already returned, the younger not thinking to remove the notes upon arrival. But, today, the note is here and Kai is not.

He thinks that Kai is still in love with him, but for the first time Luhan is a bit uneasy about the frequency at which Kai leaves. It’s often with Baekhyun or Suho so Luhan knows not to be jealous. But, his mind refuses to completely accept the notion and Luhan is now determined to understand why.

Luhan brings his opposite hand up to comb through his messy lump of hair at the top of his head which probably looks anything like the way he prefers to style it for the day. Luhan scoots off the bed and tugs his cellphone from the charger while waiting for it to start up. He’s been thinking that he should leave the electronic on if Kai is going to keep leaving and in case anything happens, but Luhan reasons that Kai has been more than capable to survive the world before Luhan came into it and so he shouldn’t be so worried.

Still, as soon as the phone is on, Luhan pulls open his text messages and sends one to his boyfriend.

Good Morning, are you still out?

Luhan waits for about three minutes before he determines that Kai isn’t going to respond quite so fast. Noticing the time, he has no choice but to begin getting ready for another day at the office.

Luhan showers.

He eats breakfast.

He gets his things together.

He frowns at his phone as he checks for a reply one more time. He isn’t sure if he should attempt to contact Suho and risk sounding like an overprotective boyfriend. For the first time, in possibly forever, Luhan leaves for work feeling less than enthusiastic for the day ahead of him.

This is bad. “This is bad!” Kai both thinks and shouts.

“So, just reply!” Baekhyun yells back.

“But what do I say?” Kai asks while holding his phone so that he can view the screen and specifically the message that Luhan had sent him more than an hour ago.

“If you can’t think of what to say, then just wait. You’re already going to be late for work.”

“This is all your fault!” Kai screams.

“Fine! Blame me, but it’s still your that’s on the line if you don’t get to work.”

Kai scrambles to get his things and walk run out the door. He’d been at his old apartment and had fallen asleep. Suho hadn’t even known he’d been over and Baekhyun was still asleep when Kai had jolted awake. He doesn’t have his work clothes, but he wonders if it is even as important as showing up on time. He makes the decision that he would rather get to work than worry about being late but nicely dressed.

Kai runs for the closest bus stop and hops on the first one that gets there, knowing that he can change his route as long as he manages to take the right connecting buses. While he’s seated, he pulls back out the cell phone and tries to come up with a response or an apology to Luhan who he’s not only neglected to get back home to, but has left him waiting for a response for far too long.

Kai thinks through a stream of ways that he can say he’s sorry, but even though he’s on his way to work all he can think is that he’d rather say it in person and not through the small device. Kai decides to text Luhan with a question and if Luhan answers then maybe it will give Kai a clue as to just how he should apologize.

Can we have lunch together?

Kai holds his phone nervously while his foot taps restlessly against the floor of the bus. Maybe Luhan is going to tell him no. Maybe he won’t respond and treat Kai to the same lack of respect. Maybe Luhan will yell at him. Kai doesn’t know because he hasn’t done this before. All he knows is that he has only been focused on trying to surprise Luhan for a couple of weeks now, but in one careless morning, he may have ruined it.

I can’t today. But, I’m glad to hear from you. I hope that means you’re okay?

Kai breathes out a long sigh. Even if Luhan can’t see him today, he doesn’t seem mad. Kai is relieved and messages him back.

I fell asleep at Suho’s. I didn’t mean to and no one woke me up. I’m on the bus now. I think I will still get to work on time.

You should sleep at home. :(

Kai can feel his ears drop tighter against his head despite their placement inside of the beanie. Of course Luhan isn’t exactly a fan of him stealing away in the middle of the night. He thinks he owes it to Luhan to stay home tonight, so he messages him back with the promise that he will.

With that issue at least somewhat resolved, Kai goes back to worrying about the speed of the bus and arriving to work in less than appropriate attire.

Half an hour later and Kai is running through a crowd of pedestrians while ignoring odd glances and blatant glares. He steps up to the door of the production company and takes a deep breath before opening the door. His eyes are trained to the floor, which he only does when he’s normally out in public, except he’s been coached not to do that in such a professional environment. However, without the normal attire - which acts like some sort of distracting costume for him, Kai feels a little less confident. He walks through the office trying to duck in without too much notice.

But of course, he’s noticed.

“Kai? What are you wearing?” comes a sharply spoken question with a small air of disbelief threaded through it.

Kai looks up, almost in relief even if he should have felt anything but. He is staring at Tao who is, as always, dressed in the absolute finest, accenting his tall agile feline body. His black hair is well sculpted to work with the pointy black ears, while black eyeliner accents the obvious cat eyes. Tao doesn’t even hide the gold yellow of his eyes as he moves his gaze over Kai.

He isn’t sure why, perhaps just because the other is hybrid like him, but he tells Tao the truth. “I came from a friend’s house. I wouldn’t have made it on time if I’d dressed first and come here after.”

Tao crinkles his nose and a slight scowl pulls at his lips. “Thank goodness you’re not interacting with clientele yet. Come on. But don’t make this a habit. If Kr- I mean, Mr. Wu were to have seen you, he would have sent you home. You don’t want that.”

Kai shakes his head and then nods. He follows the other through a short corridor in the back of the building. He thinks that is where the main back office was, but now he isn’t too sure. Tao opens the door to a room Kai hasn’t seen before. The furnishings are all black and white with soft accents in warm burgundy. The room impresses Kai. It’s clean and probably the nicest in terms of the otherwise chaotic state of most of the company. In fact, it’s the first room Kai has seen without old rings from coffee cups on any surface and telltale signs of late night work and what Mr. Wu likes to refer to as constant creative brainstorming.

Tao walks to a cabinet and pulls it open to reveal what is actually a modest closet. “I’m taller than you, but I’m sure something in here will work for today.”

“You keep clothes here?” Kai asks in complete confusion.

Suddenly, Tao’s face drops as if he’s thinking too hard about something. Or perhaps Kai asked something he shouldn’t have. Instead of answering, the taller sifts through the collection of clothes until he stumbles on something he deems worthy. He takes out a few things and walks them over to Kai. “There’s a restroom right through that door. You can use it quickly. There's hair product too. Lose the hat.”

Kai rushes for the restroom. As soon as he’s inside, he notices more odd things. It’s not like any other public restroom with paper towels dispensed or industrial known brands. In fact, there’s a toothbrush and towels and a small shower. This is odd for a company office, isn’t it?

But, Kai ignores it for now and changes quickly, quite surprised that the clothing looks decent. It isn't tailored for his specific physique, but they will do much better than what he was wearing before. He steps from the restroom a small while later to find Tao idly leaning against the closet door. He stands straight and looks over Kai in approval. “Better,” the black cat states.

“Thank you.”

“Just don’t make it a habit. I don’t want to see the only other hybrid around here fired.”

“It was accidental. I really didn't mean to lose track of time this morning. I don’t think my boyfriend is too happy about it either. It won't happen again.” Kai mutters.

“Boyfriend?”

Kai nods. “He’s not hybrid. I sometimes visit my friend when I can’t sleep so I don’t keep him up.”

“That’s nice,” Tao states. Kai notices that he has a far off look on his face and wonders if his answer is sincere.

“I really appreciate this, Tao. I promise, it won’t happen again. I should get to work.”

Tao nods.

Kai tucks his things under one arm as he walks out of the nicely decorated space and back into the workspace that he’s been getting used to. He finds a spot to tuck away his things for now until the end of the work day. No one else mentions seeing Kai in his ‘street’ clothes, nor does Kai run into Tao for the rest of the day.

Luhan is sitting in his office a few weeks later, content in some ways and just as anxious in others. Since the one morning where Kai slept in at Suho’s, Kai has stayed home with him every night. Luhan hasn’t found any more notes left for him, nor has he woken up alone in the apartment. This part, Luhan loves.

He has tried to take to spending more time paying attention to Kai after work. He wants the younger to feel most content at home and so he tries a little extra hard to make it harder for Kai to leave. Luhan tries to dote on Kai the moment he comes home.

The problem, now, is that Kai doesn’t always come home when Luhan is expecting him to. It seems as though Luhan has traded one way of feeling abandoned for another.

Luhan shakes his head. No, it isn’t abandonment. Kai hasn’t left him. He’s his own person and can do what he wants. Luhan reasons that Kai still loves him and he knows it. Luhan wants to be positive in these things so he doesn’t ask Kai or act like he’s bothered. If only he could actually get rid of the feelings all together.

RING

Luhan shakes his head quickly to banish all thoughts to concentrate on the incoming phone call. As he picks up the call and greets the caller, he is a little more than confused to be asked how he knows Kai and that the call is due to him being listed as a reference.

“Can I ask what this is in reference to?” Luhan asks.

“It is standard for us to conduct inquiries on references from all of our applicants,” the person stated.

“Applicant for what?” Luhan wanted to kick himself for not having paid attention to the other’s greeting at the beginning of the call.

“Apartment rental.”

“I see,” Luhan quickly answered. Kai is looking for an apartment? Enough to put me down for a reference? Without talking to me first?! Luhan’s voice might have sounded more than annoyed as he disconnected the call after answering a few quick questions, but he pays no attention to that fact.

Luhan never feels like this. He has no experience having the room around him suddenly feel dark and oppressive, as if it wants to close around him. Luhan doesn’t have experience in handling such intense worry and speculation. He closes his eyes and shakes his head as he tells himself to think clearly. Except, he can’t possibly fathom why the younger would be applying for apartments.

Luhan has never felt like he couldn’t breathe when nothing physically was happening to him. He mentally adds up all of the time that Kai has spent out of the house at night and during the day apart from the hours of his own job. He wonders if he is doing something wrong, and he never has honestly second guessed his own actions against the hybrid. The only wrongdoing he has ever come to realize is in letting Kai sit around while the younger had a need to prove himself worthy of a career. Has Luhan done it again?

Luhan looks at the time and realizes that there isn’t much he can do about anything in this very moment. While the sort of uncontrolled circumstance usually wouldn’t get to him, being that he would normally let things be until he could assert some control, Luhan is struggling against every second that passes by.

Irritably, Luhan slams his hands against the table sending paper skittering across the surface. The movement captures his attention and after a silent moment or two, he sighs and collects the papers back into their previous arrangement and settles back into his work.

"You'll just have to wait," he tells himself.

Kai frowns as he stirs the sauce in the pan at the top of the stove. It looks right, but he's not so sure that it tastes the way it ought to. He is used to quick meals and easy things like barbecuing meat. He only picked the dish that he had no previous experience in making because he heard Luhan express interest in it when they'd seen something similar in a television program. Kai thought it looked simple enough and had searched for recipes on his phone.

He had asked to leave a little early from work and had gone to the grocery store to get the few items he needed. Luhan already had some ingredients, but Kai hadn't known that before shopping. In Kai's mind, it was okay if he had doubled up on some ingredients. If he succeeds this time, he will try to make it again.

The problem is: he isn't too sure he has succeeded.

Kai anxiously glances at the clock. Soon enough, Luhan will be home. Kai has picked today to tell Luhan his surprise. It is only because he has received a call saying his application had been approved and now he wants Luhan's opinion.

Kai takes to checking on one more pan when the door suddenly creaks open.

"Luhan!" Kai exclaims in happy anxiousness.

Luhan looks somewhat shocked and strains a smile in response. "You're home early."

Kai chuckles. "I have something to tell you. Plus, I've made dinner," he beams.

Luhan stops himself from reacting in any way possible. It’s hard though because Kai’s ears are straight up in attention while his tail is twitching at the end. His eyes are positively sparkling and while, under any other circumstances Luhan would feed off of the happiness, he knows that Kai is going to tell him about the apartment. Luhan isn’t sure why Kai is so happy. Maybe the other wants more independence in life and Luhan has just been a jumping point for him. Luhan’s gaze sinks to the floor and he absolutely hates the way he feels.

Kai’s ears rotate back, a little worried about Luhan’s lack of enthusiasm. Kai gulps before trying again. “Are you hungry?”

“Yeah, sure,” Luhan replies casually.

Kai looks back to the food that’s now simply simmering and waiting to be served. He pulls out dishes and sets to divvying out the food. He is still worried about the homemade sauce as a litany of mental pleas for success take over his mind.

Luhan sits and waits, not paying attention to the fact that he’s scowling - but he is scowling nonetheless.

Kai places the plates down and moves to sit. He wants Luhan to taste it first, or maybe he should so he can stop Luhan in time. Kai debates on the decision while staring at his plate.

Luhan idly takes up a bit of food to his mouth. His mind is still on the news that Kai is about to break when the flavor of the meal registers. Luhan's eyes widen in shock.

Kai panics.

"Oh god, is it bad? I tested it a bit ago and it seemed off, but I followed the recipe and I don't know what went wrong! I'm so sorry!"

Luhan shakes his head trying to ward off the apology, but truth is - it's kind of horrible. Luhan doesn’t think Kai needs any reasons to further justify moving out and so the older swallows the bite and forces a smile. “It’s fine, really.”

Kai looks at his boyfriend skeptically. He takes a bite of his own helping and scowls. He knows Luhan is just being nice, which is so like the other. Kai takes a second bite and a third, watching Luhan do the same. However, Kai’s stomach turns before the fourth bite reaches his lips. Making the decision quickly, Kai stands up grabbing his plate and then snatching Luhan’s away too. “You’re not eating this. We’ll go out.”

“No! Kai! It’s fine!” Luhan insists while standing up to reach for the hybrid. He’s a step too late to reach for the other’s arm. Instead, Luhan finds himself getting a hold of the end of Kai’s tail in desperation and tugging on it quickly to prevent the other from reaching the kitchen sink.

Kai yelps in response and spins around in complete surprise.

Luhan is pretty sure he shouldn’t have done that, but Kai is looking at him in shock and not anger and at least that’s something.

Kai collects himself, staring at Luhan who looks rather embarrassed and maybe even upset. “You don’t have to force yourself to eat this. Going out to eat is fine,” Kai insists.

“But, it’s the first time you cooked something for me.”

Kai watches Luhan’s face, but it looks to him like the other is holding back something else. The older is biting his lip and moving one ankle in circles with his toe pointed to the floor. “And?” Kai prods.

Luhan’s gaze snaps up. “And what?”

“You’re not saying something,” Kai accuses.

“You’re the one with something to tell me and I don’t think I want to be out in public when you break the news to me,” Luhan mutters.

Kai looks at the other in mild disbelief. “Break the news? You act as though I’m about to break up with you.”

“Aren’t you?”

Kai blinks several times. He turns and drops the plates in the sink and doubles back until he’s within arms length to his boyfriend who has never acted so completely withdrawn before. Kai can’t help but smile because this Luhan is more adorable than Kai would have ever been able to predict.

“I’m not breaking up with you.”

“I know, Kai. I know about the apartment,” Luhan admits to prove his point.

Kai trades his happy adoration of the other for confused anger. “How?!”

The admission floods Luhan with a sense of depressing finality. “You listed me as a reference. They called me.”

“! Baekhyun said that they just like to see names on those things! He said they never really called anyone!” Kai bursts.

“Well this one did,” Luhan states.

“I’m going to kill him.”

“When are you moving out?” Luhan asks, ignoring Kai’s anger.

“WE,” Kai emphasizes, “will only move out if you like it. It was supposed to be a surprise. I thought it’d be nice to have a bit more space so that I didn’t risk keeping you up at night and so that we could be in ‘our’ first apartment together.”

“We?” Luhan asks while letting the information sink in one word at a time.

Kai lets a smile reappear on his face while he reaches out to touch Luhan’s shoulder. He lets his touch move to the older’s neck and then up to his jaw before cupping his chin and tilting his face upwards. “Lu! You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me! I wanted to do something for you and obviously I at cooking! Maybe I shouldn’t ever listen to Baekhyun, but we brainstormed over things and a bigger place seemed like a nice idea.”

“I wasn’t sure what to think,” Luhan admits. “I haven’t seen a lot of you lately.”

“I’m sorry. It’s my fault for leaving so much…”

“And then being gone in the afternoon.”

“I just wanted to surprise you. That’s the only reason I was even a little secretive.”

Luhan allows a small smile to tug at the corner of his lips. “I don’t think I can take surprises.”

Kai rubs small circles against Luhan’s cheek with his thumb. He thinks about what he wants to say to make all of Luhan’s skepticism dissipate, but he can’t really think of anything specific that expresses what he really feels. Instead, he leans in and plants a kiss against the other’s lips. It’s sweet and quick, but hopefully enough to get his point across.

Luhan blinks up at the blonde and loves that he seems happy. It’s reassuring. Luhan can’t believe that he actually let doubt consume him, but he’s glad he was wrong. He’s actually completely ecstatic that he was wrong. “I’m sorry I pulled at your tail.”

Kai shrugs. “Anyone else would have gotten a claw to the face.”

Luhan laughs. “So, when can we see this apartment you’ve found?”

“The next afternoon where you can get some free time. Hopefully, in the next few days?” Kai asks while pleading just a bit.

“I think I can manage that.”

“Okay, but lets worry about dinner first. That…” Kai starts while turning towards the sink, “is inedible.”

“But you are amazing for attempting,” Luhan states while playfully tugging Kai closer by the waist.

“You’re amazing for eating any of it,” Kai counters.

Luhan reaches up and takes the corner of one of Kai’s ears between the pads of his fingers and rubs gently while smiling. “I’d have eaten the whole thing.”

Kai shudders both in pleasant response to Luhan’s hand as well as in revolt for thinking that Luhan would subject himself to something so terrible for Kai’s sake. His tail whips around Luhan’s thigh a heartbeat before Kai traps Luhan’s lips with another kiss. This kiss is a little more intrusive, a bit more hungry, and a lot more satisfying.

“We’re never going to make it out the door for dinner at this rate,” Luhan breathes.

“Then lets just skip to dessert.”

As he past Luhan’s lips again, the older can’t bother to voice any arguments against Kai’s suggestion. The both of them are too eager to make up for the past few weeks of second guessing, bad planning, and missed time together. Without any more words, they both decide that dinner can wait.

Just another visual reference for Kai in this fic: