Speak to me
tell me something so typical
a lullaby or something miserable
that will keep me up at night

cross out my eyes
i know you planned it
you know i love you
and i can't stand it
we just lost control
we just lost control.......

 

-Matchbook Romance, "Your Stories, My Alibis"-

 

 

 

 

“Ge?” Tao greeted as soon as his phone was picked. He waited patiently for Kris to answer him while listening to the background sound of the bar—Kris’s workplace.

Kris grumbled in response, his breath heavy on the phone, and Tao assumed he was lifting some bottles of drink. He felt an urge to laugh.

“Are you okay? Do you need my help to lift some heavy boxes, ge?” Tao teased, a sly smile curled in his lips.

“You’re not that strong, Taozi,” Kris replied, huffing loudly after the weigh was down on the floor. “I know you’re stronger than me and you can lift many things, but you’re not that strong. You can’t even beat me in bed,” Kris chuckled.

Tao’s face was red instantly. “Gege! How could you say that on the phone?” Tao face-palmed to hide his embarrassment, even though Kris couldn’t see him.

Kris chuckled again, he could imagine how cute Tao right now, with his flushed face. “Beat ya,” he teased, laughing a little. “It’s unusual to have you calling me at workplace. Why? Is there something wrong? Or,” Kris smirked, and muttered ily with his low voice directly to the speaker, “You miss me already?”

Tao shuddered, mentally cursing his body’s response to Kris’s seductive voice. He cleared his throat a little before replying, “Nope, you erted dragon. I’m calling to tell you that i’m going out for a bit.”

“Aww, are you sure you don’t miss me, Taozi?” Kris teased again. “Where are you going?” Kris checked his golden watch on his wrist, “It’s kinda late, don’t you think?”

Tao nodded, “Mm-hmm, i know. I won’t be long, i found a quiet place at the park, kinda deserted, with dim light and all, and the ground is just so perfect for me to practice, so i’ll just check the place for today. To see if it’s empty too at night,” he explained.

“If it is, will you bring me there sometime? I love deserted place, let alone the dim lights at night,” Kris continued.

Tao sighed. “Kris,” he said, and Kris laughed. Tao would call him by his name if he was being serious.

“Okay, okay, I’ll stop,” Kris said. “Just, be careful, okay? Just because you can beat people that doesn’t mean you’re perfectly safe.”

“Mm-hm. I know. I will check my surroundings while practicing, don’t worry too much. I think you’ll get home before me, so I’ve put some dinner in the microwave. Don’t wait for me, ge. I’ll be mediating for an hour or so there if it’s empty.”

“Okay,” Kris said.

“Well, then,” Tao said, “Bye, don’t lift too much things or you’ll hurt your waist. I’m hanging up,” Tao waved his free hand while hanging up eventhough Kris couldn’t see him. Humming a happy tone, Tao swung his Wushu stick around his body as he walked on the sidewalk. The road was empty, as the people had gone home already. Tao squealed in delight when the park came into view, empty as how he hoped it to be.

 

As expected, it’s good to do practices here, Tao thought happily. He was doing his yoga sets, mediating, to calm his mind and his body. The soft breeze of wind was soothing his skin. Carefully, Tao bent one of his leg, pulling his other leg across, and pulling his torso as far as his body allowed. Breathing deeply, Tao let his mind empty, calm and serene. He changed his pose a few times before he decided his practice was enough.

I’ll definitely come again everyday,  Tao grinned. His mood was brighter after the yoga, and the cooling wind made it even better. Kris gege must be sleeping now, Tao thought as he glanced at his watch. 1 hour left before midnight. Tao walked faster.

When Tao opened their apartment door, he found Kris sprawled on their couch, sleeping soundly, his black fringe stuck onto his forehead due to the slightly warm room. “Silly gege,” Tao chuckled, tossing his wushu stick beside the table, then carefully guiding Kris to lean on his back. Slowly he dragged Kris into their bedroom, where Tao had previously turned the AC on. With a loud huff, Tao pushed Kris’s body off his back. “Gah! Gege you’re so heavy,” Tao groaned. Kris didn’t seem to realize anything, continued to sleep after finding a comfortable position on the bed. Tao chuckled.

Somewhere outside their bedroom, a phone rang. Tao lifted one eyebrow, sure enough it was Kris’s phone. Was the phone left on the couch?

It is, Tao thought. The phone blinked, it’s screen lit up and showing him a message delivery report. Hee, nothing important, Tao thought. Just as he took a step towards their bedroom, another beep was heard, and the screen lit once again for a few seconds, enough for Tao to see the preview of the incoming message.

Who is this person, sending a message to Kris late at night? Tao wondered. Kris’s phone rarely rang at night after he came home from work, and when it had, it was a super important telephone call. Not a message. Everyone knew how scary Kris is whenever his resting and sleeping time got disturbed. So who is this daring person?

Carefully, Tao opened the screen lock, and—thanks to Kris who bought him the same phone type—checked the applications’ history. To Tao’s delight, the latest app used was ‘phone’ app, so he would leave no trace when he returned Kris’s phone later. Walking over to kitchen so he could be totally alone, Tao opened the phone log. The most recent activities were messages, to and from someone named BBH. Who is this BBH? Tao didn’t know any of Kris’s friend named something near BBH. His eyes quickly scanned the messages history, feeling guilty as he did so but his curiosity was stronger.

Tao’s eyes quickly widened at some particular messages. Tears were forming slowly, unnoticed as Tao re-read the messages again. Party? His heart felt heavy. What party? Are they going to go together? Tao realized the tears were blocking his view, so he blinked rapidly. Was Kris flirted with this BBH guy? Judging from the message’s time, Tao assumed the messages were exchanged when Kris was working. Not long after I called him, Tao gritted his teeth. He fought back an urge to cry. Telling himself to calm down, he shut Kris’s phone off and secure it in his pocket. Don’t over-think, Tao. Kris ge was probably just teasing his diva friend. Whoever that friend is. And he was just taking care of his worker, and this party is not a private party. You can ask Kris tomorrow and he’ll laugh over your silly thoughts. It’s okay, Tao took a deep breath. After he was sure he was okay, he went to their bedroom to sleep, after placing Kris’s phone on the nightstand carefully.

They usually cuddled, or facing each other in their sleep. That night, Tao thought otherwise, as he laid on his back staring at the ceiling. Tao sighed. He didn’t want to look at Kris’s direction right now. He couldn’t explain why. He had told himself that he was over-thinking things, yet his heart was still heavy. His mind was uneasy, and long after countless tossing and changing position did he fell asleep.

 

Early morning, Tao went out hurriedly. He was still afraid. He couldn’t sure he would able to face Kris like his usual self. He chose to get out of their apartment, long before Kris awaken 5hours later, explaining his hurry act in a note stuck on the fridge’s door, saying he’s got to meet his trainee’s parents. He wasn’t really lying; he did have a promise with his wushu trainee’s parents, but not that early.

A phone call was startling Tao when he packed his bag, ready to go home, and to his relief the ringtone was not Kris’s. He fished his phone out and found that Luhan was calling him.

“What?” Tao asked without any greetings.

“Tsk tsk Taotao, is that how you answer your gege? Not even a sweet greeting for me?” Luhan’s mocking hurt voice was heard.

“Well, Luhan, I would never agree about you being older than me. So quit dreaming.”

“Hhh, so cold. Anyway, what will you do this afternoon, my dear didi? Can I have some of your precious time? I’ll take you back home before Cinderella’s bell rings, don’t worry~!”

Tao furrowed his eyebrows. “Where to?”

Tao could hear Luhan’s chuckle from the other side of the phone. “Shopping, this and that, you know, like the old days.”

Tao didn’t have to think. He needed some reasons to avoid Kris, anyway. “Sure,” Tao said, faking a huff as if he was reluctant to go, “But will you pick me up? I don’t want to go out, it’s windy these days, my hair would be a mess.”

“Will do, princess,” Luhan sing-songed, and Tao chuckled along with him. “I’ll come at 7 then?”

Tao nodded. “That’ll be good. I’ll just buy something at the store nearby later so you can just pick me there.”

“Okay. Bye!” Luhan hung up.

Tao took a deep breath. Now all he got to do was to go home, took his time bathing, and leave. Simple, easy. That’s what he told himself.

That brilliant plan went out of the window as he found Kris, had taken a bath already and was now fumbling with his earrings. No, Tao thought, it was supposed to be him who left the house first, as he didn’t want to witness Kris to leave to that BBH person. His mind went blank when Kris noticed his presence. Kris lifted his free hand to greet him before staring back at the mirror.

Tao cleared his throat secretly. “Going somewhere?” Tao asked, as if he didn’t know that Kris had promised someone.

Kris nodded. “Got a party at Sehun’s, I’ll be late, I guess. Gotta keep those idiots from wasting themselves as we still have to work tomorrow,” Kris sighed.

“Oh,” Tao said, unable to voice his next thought, have fun with BBH then? His eyes flickered, and without thinking, he voiced anything that passed his mind, “Me too, I’m going out tonight. Luhan is taking me out for shopping,” he informed Kris.

Kris’s reaction was disappointing, to say the least. He just nodded, which made Tao wondered whether he heard him or not. “Have fun,” Kris said to him lightly, checking himself once again in the mirror before walked past Tao, patting his head a bit. “Don’t play too much, okay?” With that, Kris just left.

Tao stood still for a while, sulking, because Kris just left, and he didn’t even for a bit curious about this friend of Tao named Luhan.

 

 

 

 

a/n: errrrr this kinda went out of plot, actually.....that's why i took a long time to post this...sigh..