“Chenle? What are you doing here on the balcony at three in the morning?” Renjun asked the other, hugging their blanket closer to his body. A little over a month had passed since his surprise birthday party and Renjun always felt a little colder in spring even though it was the transition to summer. He had woken up cold due to his heater leaving the bed and wandering off to Renjun’s tiny balcony, back facing Renjun and leaving Renjun to eye his broad shoulders.

“Don’t you ever wonder what it would be like to fly, ge?” Chenle asked, not bothering to turn around to face him.

“Chenle, what brought this on? I’m cold, let’s go back to bed,” Renjun tried to reason, not liking where this conversation was going.

“I want to fly one day. Wings and all,” Chenle replied before turning back around and giving the older male a smile. Only, his eyes didn’t convey happiness. Observations of rich people #42: They wish to grow wings and fly someday. “But before that happens, let’s go back inside, ge.” 

“Okay…but…Chenle?” Renjun said as he stepped aside to let Chenle back inside and locking the balcony’s sliding door, following Chenle to their bedroom shortly after. He tried to ignore the worried look that the younger gave him after he turned to respond to his call. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

Chenle simply flashed him a smile that rivalled the sun. “As long as I have you, ge, I’ll be fine!” If you say so… Renjun couldn’t help the sinking feeling of worry that passed over him as he stared at the younger’s back. 

“Why were you out there, Le?” Renjun asked him once they were in the confines of their bedroom, heart pounding in anticipation of the other’s answer. If Renjun hadn’t been listening as intently as he was, he would have missed the younger’s whisper of nightmare.

“You could have just woken me up if you wanted company,” Renjun stated, looking disapprovingly at the younger who quickly grabbed his arm and dragged him to go under the blankets. 

“But what if you didn’t wake up? What if you were in a deep sleep? I know that you barely get enough sleep, ge…maybe you should lessen your hours at work,” Chenle replied, breath ghosting over Renjun’s lips and eyes burning into Renjun’s soul. “What if you collapsed or something because of me? I don’t think I’d be able to handle that…” Chenle whispered once more, leaving Renjun to sigh and defend himself because Renjun wasn’t six…he was an adult now.

“You’re so dramatic, Le. That won’t happen,” Renjun whispered back and tried to ignore Chenle’s squeak and high-pitched arguments over how he was obviously right.

“I’m right! I am right! You have to agree that I’m right!”

Observations of rich people #43: They can be very dramatic, even this early in the morning. 

“Chenle! It’s okay! I’m here now and that’s all that matters, right?” Renjun was relieved when he saw Chenle nod and wrap his arms around his waist, the younger pulled him closer and Renjun swore that his heart was broken.

“Yeah…that’s all that matters,” Chenle replied as he buried his face into Renjun’s hair and slowly drifted off to sleep, smiling softly.

~ ~ ~

“Care to explain why you’re not in China with me?” The deep voice of his father resonated through the phone’s speaker, loud enough for Chenle to hear every disapproving tone that the other placed in his words.

“I didn’t want to go,” Chenle replied, glad that he was at his private school that cost a fortune and not in the apartment with Renjun. The other would surely feel guilty if he knew that Chenle was having this conversation with his father and would probably want to support him through it. No…I have to be strong too. I can’t rely on Renjun-ge for everything.

“I gave you one month! That was for you to say your farewells and get back to your responsibilities in your world!” His father shouted at him, clearly frustrated and Chenle could feel anger rising in his throat once again. Leaning against the wall of a building, Chenle sighed and tried to avoid eye contact with the other rich kids in his grade. They all knew about him dating someone in a lower social class and, most of the time, gave him weird