“You’d follow me anywhere?” Zhou Mi asks, chuckling. One hand intertwines with Kyuhyun’s, the other thrown around his neck.

Kyuhyun’s heart pounds as he responds. “Absolutely anywhere, Mimi.” He declares softly.

“Even if I wanted to climb mountains?” Zhou Mi’s eyes glitter wickedly. He knows what Kyuhyun likes; exercise falls somewhere between ‘hatred’ and ‘intense dislike’.

“I already did, remember.” Kyuhyun mumbles sleepily. It’s not a memory he enjoys remembering; it was a hard slog up there, even if the dig had been amazing, and the finds fantastic.

Mimi tuts disapprovingly. “That was barely a mountain, Kyu. And you took the cable-car.”

“I still did it.” Kyuhyun breathes, shifting closer to Zhou Mi. He can feel the warmth of Zhou Mi’s body against his own. It’s…comfortable.

“True.” Zhou Mi acquiesces, hand squeezing Kyuhyun’s. “Then how about…if I wanted to search for Shangri-La?”

There are many answers Kyuhyun could give to this question. The obvious, of course, is: why search for paradise when I’m all you need? That sounds like something Heechul would say, so he disregards it. “Shangri-La is a myth, Mimi-ge.”

“It might not be.” Zhou Mi teases. “It could be out there, waiting for us to find it.”

Kyuhyun snorts in reply. “Even if it was, why would they want us to find it? So you can educate them in the ways of Armani?” He rolls his eyes. Such a stupid conversation, but he’s used to them. They’re Zhou Mi’s way of checking he still cares; that he’s willing to go to ridiculous lengths for him. And because he is, and because he loves the other man, he goes along with the strange musings.

Zhou Mi ignores the barb. “Would you still follow me there?”

He doesn’t even need to think about it. He knows, that although he’d complain and tell Mimi it was a foolish, foolish idea, if Zhou Mi wanted to go – if he really wanted to go – the answer would always be “Yes.”

The smile he receives is not Zhou Mi’s usual, full-blown grin. It’s shy. “I’m glad.” He whispers. “It would be boring without you.”

Kyuhyun is too embarrassed to say anything more, so he can only let go of Zhou Mi’s hand and pull him into a tight hug. “Any time, Mimi.”

***

Things aren’t so sweet and understanding the next day, however, when Kyuhyun snaps at Zhou Mi irritably.

They’re in a tiny storeroom next to the lecture theatre Zhou Mi has just been speaking in, because as Kyuhyun has an ‘issue’ – as in, he finds Zhou Mi being all knowledgeable y and therefore needs to relieve this feeling.

However, Zhou Mi’s ridiculously tight jeans are proving difficult to remove, and Kyuhyun cannot help the impatient groans. “I hate your ing clothes. Why can’t you wear slacks?”

Zhou Mi exchanges a sigh of pleasure for a sigh of exasperation. “Because they look ugly on me.” Kyuhyun scoffs, his fingers still prying at the stiff buttons.

“Yeah, yeah. You know you look good in anything.” He rolls his eyes, grinning when finally, finally the button pops open.

He quits his grumbling for a rather intense task that also requires his mouth. Zhou Mi is pleased.

He always enjoys the filthy things his Kui Xian likes to do to him, after all.

Only when they’re finished playing with one another, matching grins from the illicit ual touches on their faces, does Zhou Mi reveal the titbit of information he has wanted to tell Kyuhyun ever since the board cornered him this morning.

“Kyu.” He laughs. Kyuhyun looks up, hair messy and falling over his eyes. Zhou Mi pushes it back. Stubbornly, it falls back into place. “You need a haircut.” He mutters. Kyuhyun does not look impressed.

“So?” He challenges, a little out of breath.

Zhou Mi shakes his head clear of thoughts about the hairdresser he wants Kyuhyun to see, because the man can work miracles with a pair of straighteners and – wait, not the point. “They’re going to fund the dig, Kyu!” He can hear the squeal in his voice.

Kyuhyun’s eyes widen. “You’re serious? The department is going to fund a dig at Amarna?” At Zhou Mi’s ecstatic nod, he throws his arms around him. “Oh my god, Mi, that’s ing amazing. I knew you’d convince them!”

“Just think, Kyu!” Zhou Mi whispers gleefully. “We’ll be like Carter, in the middle of the Egyptian desert.” He sounds entranced; he is entranced by the culminations of his dreams come true.

“You want me with you?” Kyuhyun doesn’t know why he sounds so surprised. He shouldn’t; they’ve been together so long, that it should make sense. But this is Zhou Mi’s dream – and perhaps he would rather follow it alone.

“Of course.” Zhou Mi scolds. “It wouldn’t be the same without you, baobei.” Kyuhyun almost makes a small purring noise at the sound of his favourite endearment. Zhou Mi’s accent always makes a delightful appearance when he returns to his mother tongue.