Title: Water lilies

Pairing: KrisChen (Kris x Jongdae/Chen)

Genre: fluff, romance

Word count: 1116

Rating: PG

Summary: Chen is like water lilies

Notes: not much, but yeah. I tried to make water lilies work xD hope it wasn’t too farfetched…

Water lilies

“You really should take a break,” Chen says, frowning down at his leader.

“No,” Kris replies flatly, dark brown eyes fixed on the pile of forms before him. His muscles in his large hands flex as he fills in the blanks.

“But you’ve been working since one o’clock. It’s almost seven.” The other points out at the sunset outside their window to prove his point.

Still not looking up, Kris says, “These forms aren’t going to fill themselves out.”

Chen heaves a deep sigh and crosses his arms. His fine eyebrows furrow with concern as he watches his beloved band-mate and leader scribble.

After a while, the older finally glances up at the dark-haired Korean and fights a smile when he sees that expression. Secretly, he is a little touched to see his younger band-mate so worried over him. His eyes trail over the straight nose and high cheekbones.

“Cheer up,” he says, setting down his pencil for a moment. “I should be done by midnight.”

That frown deepens. “That’s not the point,” Chen huffs. Then he stops and takes a deep breath. When he speaks again, his voice is strained and controlled. “You work too hard… You do so much for us…”

Kris smiles. “Because you guys are my family…”

“But your health comes first!” The vocalist insists, breaking the calm. His normally-smooth voice cracks a little, conveying to the other the stress he was hiding. “How are you supposed to protect us if you’re exhausted all the time?”

“Ok, ok,” Kris says, slightly bewildered and holding his hands up in defense. “You’re right.” Seeing the still-upset expression, he heaves a sigh. “How about I take a break? I’m thirsty.”

A bright beam lights up the younger’s defined features. Chen nods and together they walk into the small kitchen.

Kris pours himself a cup of coffee while Chen reaches into the fridge for a coke. As they stand there in comfortable silence, the tall blonde-haired man can’t help a small smile. The dorm is unusually quiet with the other four are out doing who knows what, but Kris isn’t complaining. It leaves the now-spacious dorm to them.

Glancing over, he notices Chen swirling his drink with a small quirk of his thin lips.

“I know why I’m smiling,” Kris says, crooked grin on his sharp features. “But why are you?”

“Oh, I’m just thinking about how far we’ve all come,” Chen replies lightly. His dark eyes watch the dark liquid in the can fizz with each movement. “All the hard work we all put in… all the things we go through…”

Taking a sip of his scalding drink, Kris nods in agreement.

Then Chen’s eyes lift. “And you’re the glue that helps us stick together and build off of each other’s strength. I don’t know what I—no, we—would do without you to support us.”

Embarrassed by the sudden compliment, Kris glances down and scratches his sharp nose. “I don’t do that much…”

But seeing the expression on Chen’s face, he sighs. “Okay, I do something,” he amends. “But it’s just disciplining you guys. Once you all behave, you’re fine.”

The vocalist laughs. Kris just smiles, loving the sound too much to join in.

Kris had always been in awe of the other’s singing, that rich voice that makes him stop and listen. Even though his Chinese is off sometimes, Kris came to find it endearing.

But Chen’s laugh is a different story. That sound is so sweet, so pure that it makes Kris forget all his pains and makes his heart skip a beat.

“I give up,” Kris sighs, waving a hand. “There’s no reasoning with you.”

The way Chen smiles, there was no way to stay angry at him.

“Oh,” the younger says. “You didn’t say why you were smiling.”

“Oh that,” Kris stops a moment, trying to remember what he had been thinking of. “I was just thinking about how quiet it is without everyone else. At first I thought it was nice, but not it feels kinda empty, you know?”

Chen nods his dark-haired head. “How do you say that in Chinese?”

There is that phrase that Kris comes to love. With only seven words, it reveals so much about the shorter. His eagerness to learn, his determination to become better, his confidence…

Kris thinks as he finishes the last of his drink. “没有大家非常安静 (Méiyǒu dàjiā fēicháng ānjìng),” he says slowly, drawing each sound out while he washes his empty cup.

Those fine eyebrows furrow in concentration and Chen mouths the new words to solidify it in his memory bank. Kris’s eyes watch him as he dries his mug.

“Got it,” the younger says brightly a few moments later.

“Good job,” Kris replies, reaching up over Chen’s head to put the cup away. He winces as a pain stabs at the place his shoulder met his neck.

Suddenly, Chen’s hands are there on the valley of his neck, rhythmically pressing and massaging the tight muscles.

Kris lets out a sigh of relief. “Where did you…?”

“My mother used to do this for me when I was studying too long for exams,” Chen replies, hands never stopping. “Close your eyes and relax.”

Kris does as he is told. He feels every movement loosening his tender muscles. The smooth flowing movements are so soothing, like floating on water…

He is suddenly reminded of when he once went to Suzhou with his family. He had been young, three or four years old. But he can only recall one thing. He remembers the water lilies drifting lazily in the clear water, their snowy, pink-tinted petals glistening in the afternoon light.

Chen is like those water lilies—his flowers pure white and innocent; he is deeply-rooted and confident; but easy-going and friendly enough to get along with everyone. People are just attracted to his pleasant and positive aura.

“Hey Chen?” Kris says after a moment.

“Hmmm?”                              

“你太棒了(Nǐ tài bàngle).” A smirk crosses Kris’s face. “Know what I said?”

As that concentrated expression passes over Chen’s face, Kris watches him. He hopes he can convey all his feelings. Not only for the massage, but for everything that made him Chen.

Then a wide smile breaks across Chen’s chiseled features as understanding settles in.

Those dark eyes sparkle as they connect with Kris’s. And, when Chen speaks, Kris wonders fleetingly if he is only translating, or he’s saying it back to him.

“You’re the best.”

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Word inspiration: water lilies