A Special Kind Of WARMTH

Kris sighed, running his long fingers through his silky caramel brown hair. He was tired, cold, and felt hollow... for some reason.

Now is not the time to think about it. He pushed those thoughts away.

He'd just finished his usual day of training.

The Koreans getting praised. As usual, while he was ordered to stay behind to learn how to sharpen his moves and do waves properly.

Cha Bong had threw a shoe at his head calling him a crazy . He'd just glared at him and walked off. 

You should have begged and said sorry, for being a . A sad voice whimpered.

No, that's wrong, Kevin. Kris said to the voice, his other self.

YOU ! Kris, you list- 

Yes, that was Kevin Li, his other self. Unpredictable.

Kris Wu on the otherhand, was normal, and in control. Stable.

He stopped trying to fight back because it gave the bullies satisfaction. Kevin had talked it out with him.

He was too kind, especially when Kevin took over, especially vulnerable. 

He had no friends. As of yet. 

An Outcast.

He was oggled at by female trainees and as a result, got bulllied by the prideful males in his classes.

He always trudged back to his dorm, where Yixing and Luhan were. They were scared of him but he never knew why.

Though he handled it well. It still kind of hurt. 

***

Swaggering out of the building, leg muscles aching, Kris walked to the bus stop, shivering as the cold autumn air swept against his sweat soaked shirt.

So cold.

Of all days, he had to forget his jacket.

He cursed at the howling wind.

***

The bus wasn't coming anytime soon.

He cursed again, this time at the bus.

***

"H... Hey" a timid voice stammered.

Kris looked up to the source of the voice, his breath hitched in his throat.

His eyes, though stinging with dryness and fatigue, managed to focus on the source of that voice.

Black cottony hair.

Defined feline cat eyes that seemed to hold secrets in its black pupils, yet strangely entrancing.

Under his clothes, definitely a killer bodyline.

Get away! He's dangerous, he'll harm you Kri-

Kris shook his head. As he grew older he learned to let Kevin take less and less control of him.

He recognised this guy.

He was the newbie, Zitao from China.

Seeming to glower at everyone with his dark eyes and never smiling face, favourite colour black...

They didn't respond well to him.

Tao was an outcast too.

Kris decided to respond to him.

"Yes?" Kris replied, eyebrows furrowing, his voice trembling from the freezing temperature.

"You're... You're cold right? Do you... w-want... my jacket?" Tao stammered, again.

He gripped tightly onto his leopard printed bag straps.

He blushed, cheeks flushed in a light shade of pink. He buried his face in his red woolen scarf.

Kris found this irresistably cute, his heart thumping wildly.

Too much.

Too cute.

Kris nodded.

"You sure you'll be okay? Theres only one jacket... "

He looked questioningly at Tao.

Tao grinned, his lips curling up at the sides. Cheeky?

Hmmm...

"It's alright, I have my skarf." he replied softly.

He carefully peeled off his jacket away from his slender body and draped it around Kris' curled and hunched frame.

Kris' body shuddered as the remnants of Tao's body heat seeped into his ice cold skin.

Warmth.

He turned around the to find Tao wrapped in his scarf, like a nun's head dress.

He sat himself next to Kris, squirming to get comfortable.

Kris coud not help but laugh, it was such an adorable sight.

"By the way, I'm Kris,"

Tao tilted his head and gazed up at Kris.

badump..

"... and uhm thanks..."

"I'm Tao, you're welcome." He whispered softly and grinned shyly.

badump...

As Kris snuggled tightly into the jacket, his heart beat wildly. A funny sensation overwhelmed his stomach.

Am I sick from the cold? He wondered. On cue, he sneezed, his legs jumping from the force.

"Oh GOD! Shisus," Kris cried in agony, grasping onto his leg.

Look what happened! You're being harmed by him. I'm taking over now!

No! No, Kevin Li YOU STAY PU-

Just like that, Kris Wu was squashed somewhere. In his mind. He would scare Tao off too.

"Ah, Kris, whats wrong?" Tao asked, standing up abruptly.

" Get away from me! I'm bipolar and i know you're going to h-harm me." Kevin cried.

He clutched on to his leg and moaned.

Tao just stared, not budging. " I'm not going to harm you Kris..."

" It's Kevin!" he screamed, holding on to his leg.

Tao looked shocked.

So he really is bipolar, with no friends, but no one's ever seen him like this...

Its not his fault he's like this. Who am I to run away. Tao thought.

"Cramps. Ugh." Kris groaned in pain, his leg held tightly in an awkward position.

" How mortifying." He grumbled, earning a soft chuckle from Tao.

" I'll help you massage the cramp away. Massages always work."  Tao offered, his eyes eager.

How could Kris say no?

Warm hands gently massaged his calf. 

Kris gasped, not from the pain but from weird tingles going up his leg. " I think my nerves are screwed."

Tao chuckled.

***

Dim lights lit up the dark and empty bus shelter.

A bus pulled up, Tao looked up and asked, "Um... Do you want to come to my dorm and warm up first? "

"O-kay" Kris muttered.

***

"Ni de jiao hai tong ma?" 

(Does your leg still hurt?)

Kris established he could speak languages.

Then they had slipped into their mother tongue unconsciously and were getting to know each other better.

Kris' legs had recovered from the cramp but he'd figured that he'd still be hobbling from muscle aches.

"Bu tong le."

(Its does not hurt now.)

Kris smiled, cheek to cheek, Tao's eyes widened, his face turned bright pink.

"You should smile more, Kris-ge... I mean Kris."

He turned sharply and stared into Tao's pale eyes, "What did you say? "

"Smile more...?" Tao tried.

"No, after that." 

"Kris?"

"Kris what...?"

"Gege... "

('Gege' is an honorific term in mandarin for 'older brother'.)

"Say it again."

"W-what?"

"Kris what?"

"Kris-gege..."

Kris laughed. He soften his stare.

He gazed at Tao and ruffled his disheveled hair.

He felt warm.

Warmth. One that he never felt before.