Lay walked into the kitchen and picked up an apple. As he took a bite, he noticed Tao sitting there, watching him.

                “Where’s Kris-ge?” Tao asked in a monotone, and Lay’s heart fell. He’d had an obviously unrequited love for Tao for quite some time, but Tao’s obsession with Kris was the world’s biggest er.

                “I don’t know,” Lay sighed, and Tao looked dejected. “Why?”

                “It’s just…you’re always with him. I thought maybe you’d know.”

                “Tao, are you jealous?” Lay asked, and Tao looked up, blushing.

                “Well, yeah,” he said sheepishly. “I mean…ge, it’s always you and him, him and you. He always touches you and talks to you and I can’t get a word in edgewise. Why wouldn’t I be jealous?”

                Lay felt like crying. Tao was being so honest, and it hurt Lay a lot. But he knew what he had to do. He loved Tao, so he wanted more than anything for him to be happy.

                “I can clear off if you want,” Lay offered sadly. Tao perked up, but then he saw Lay’s expression.

                “No, ge, you don’t have to do that. Not for me. It’s okay,” Tao said concernedly, getting up and holding Lay’s hands. “I know you like him, so it’s fine. I—”

                “Wait, what?” Lay asked. “Who likes who?”

                “Uh, you like Kris-ge?” Tao said in confusion. “Right?”

                “Wha—no! Where did you get that idea?” Lay cried. Tao looked extremely confused.

                “But…I thought that’s what you were saying,” Tao said. “So you don’t like Kris-ge?”

                “No, Tao,” Lay said kindly, his heart still hurting. “So it’s okay. You can have him.”

                “I don’t want him!” Tao cried, holding Lay’s hands tighter. “You can’t have thought that I like Kris-ge.”

                “But…you were jealous…” Lay mumbled, and Tao nodded vigorously.

                “I was jealous of him,” Tao explained, “because he always has you.” Lay paused, just thinking for a moment as his heart rate increased.

                “So basically this was all a big misunderstanding and we like each other, right?” Lay said finally, and Tao nodded with a laugh. “So then what are we waiting for?”

                He wrapped his arms around Tao’s shoulders and kissed him like he’d always wanted to.

Plot bunny credit/dedicated to the lovely tarp_walls.