pairing: ChenLay
length: 1179 words

It’s past two in the morning, but Yixing is still wide awake. Even though he went to bed hours ago, he hasn’t been able to fall asleep this entire time.

He doesn’t know whether his mind is buzzing with inspiration or fear, but regardless, this isn’t the most ideal state for him to be in at the moment and he wishes insomnia would stop plaguing him at such inopportune times. It’s just his luck that he has a brain that reaches its maximum potential after the clock strikes midnight when he needs to rest, instead of acting like a normal brain that functions properly at regular waking hours.

Rolling onto his side, Yixing finds himself face to face with a sound asleep Jongdae snugly tucked against him. The smaller male’s chiseled features look delightfully soft, especially against the plump pillow that his head is resting on. His long eyelashes almost seem to be resting atop his defined cheekbones and his thin pink lips are scarcely parted as he quietly breathes, in and out, in and out.

The moonlight that filters into the bedroom is dim since the curtains are drawn, but it’s just barely bright enough to cast several shadows on Jongdae’s serene face and Yixing lets out an audible sigh as he takes a moment to admire the masterpiece lying next to him.

He doesn’t think he’s ever seen a more beautiful person in his entire life.

And he also doesn’t know how he managed to become lucky enough to have the most beautiful person on the planet sleeping next to him, holding him close like a koala bear.

As soon as he looks at Jongdae, Yixing can feel all of his stress and anxiety melt away. All that’s left is a wonderful feeling of peace and tranquility. He wishes he could feel like this all of the time.

At this moment, what the Chinese male wants to do the most at the moment is interlock his fingers with Jongdae’s so that he can feel their hands fit like two puzzle pieces. It’s a nice reminder that they’re perfect for each other.

In fact, this thought refuses to leave Yixing’s mind. All he can think about is how nice Jongdae feels, sleeping beside the older male and unconsciously clinging onto him. It brings about a comfortable sense of security.

So, since he’s unable to keep his hands away, even though he’s also aware that he runs the risk of waking Jongdae from his deep slumber, Yixing carefully lifts his right hand from the blanket and lightly traces his pointer finger along the younger male’s sharp jaw line. The pale skin is perfectly smooth under his fingertip and he lets his hand travel all the way down to the bottom of Jongdae’s chin. Yixing is quite tempted to let his fingers travel even lower, over the hill of the younger male’s prominent Adam’s apple, but he ultimately decides against it. Jongdae will most certainly wake up if he’s touched in such a sensitive area and Yixing also doesn’t want to accidentally jab the smaller male in the throat if he suddenly moves in his sleep.

Instead, he begins carding his fingers through Jongdae’s soft, messy hair. There are a few tangled strands, but they get straightened out in no time under Chinese male’s gentle ministrations. The repetitive motion helps Yixing retain the sense of calm that the younger male has brought him and he idly wonders when Jongdae last got his hair cut. Because there have been so many other things occupying his mind, Yixing can’t recall when it was, so he makes a mental note to ask the Korean male in the morning.

The Chinese male doesn’t know how long he’s been combing Jongdae’s hair, but it feels like he’s gotten out most of the snarls, if not all, so he runs his fingers through one last time before moving his hand away Yixing then gazes at Jongdae’s angelic face again, fixated on how perfect he looks. So perfect that he can’t resist giving the sleeping male several tiny pecks, his lips ghosting over Jongdae’s smooth skin.

After Yixing drops a final feather-light kiss on the tip of Jongdae’s nose, the Chinese male decides to try and catch a few hours of sleep before morning comes. He’s fully booked for the day, which means he won’t be able to see Jongdae until after dinner, right before bedtime. He carefully wraps his arms around the smaller male and pulls him close, their chests now pressed against each other. If he stays still, unmoving like a statue, then Yixing can feel Jongdae’s heartbeat thumping at a steady rhythm. It feels comforting.

Yixing slightly shifts, adjusting his position on the mattress, while tucking the Korean male even closer to him. Jongdae’s head is now buried against the older male’s chest. Yixing is just about to close his eyes when he feels Jongdae stir a bit before sleepily murmuring, “Are you awake right now, Yixing?”

“Sorry,” the Chinese male whispers back. “I didn’t mean to wake you up. I’m going to sleep now.”

“Are you—” A loud yawn escapes from Jongdae’s mouth, his back arching like a cat’s, before he cozily settles in Yixing’s embrace again. “Are you sure you’re alright? I don’t mind—” Another big yawn punctuates his sentence. “I don’t mind staying up…to talk…”

Yixing shakes his head, even though it isn’t discernible within the darkness and Jongdae’s eyes are half-closed. “Let’s talk in the morning, okay? We need our rest since we both have a busy day ahead of us.”

“Okay,” the smaller male mumbles before deeply inhaling Yixing’s pleasant aroma. He smells like honey citrus, which makes Jongdae smile.

Since the Chinese male is able to feel the ends of Jongdae’s mouth curl up against his chest, Yixing fondly looks down and uses his right thumb to gently rub tiny circles over the younger male’s left cheek. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing.” Several seconds pass in complete silence before Jongdae quietly asks, “May I please have a good night kiss?”

Even though he technically already got one when they slipped into bed earlier that night, Yixing doesn’t mind the request. In any case, who is he to deny himself an intimate moment with such a breathtaking man?

So he obliges without a moment of hesitation, firmly pressing his lips against Jongdae’s soft mouth and indulging in the sweet kiss that they’re sharing. Yixing lets the kiss linger for a few extra seconds, not wanting to separate, before finally withdrawing and adjusting the blanket so that they’re completely covered, save for their heads. Now that autumn has arrived, the past few nights have been quite chilly.

But even though the weather is gradually becoming colder, Yixing and Jongdae keep each other warm in their embrace. As he finds himself drifting into sleep, Yixing vaguely wonders why he was so stressed out a few hours ago. After all, there really isn’t anything to worry about. Not when he has Jongdae in his arms to comfort him through the night.

♈♈♈