Kyuhyun walked slowly down the path, stopping every now and then to check where he was, the previous conversation ringing in his ears. We can still fix this…

Thing was, he didn’t really think he could. But he’d been given no choice. She’d shoved him out the door, with the instructions: “ off to China, and don’t come back without Zhou Mi.” His bags had been packed and everything, and she’d pushed his credit card into his jeans pocket. “Right, so, good luck and all that. Just tell him!” Her arms crossed, she stood in the doorway, black skinny jeans tucked into high heeled boots.

And now here he was. In China. Still without Zhou Mi. He wasn’t doing so well, but he knew if he attempted to come home without Zhou Mi, she’d just send him back. She was mean like that. It was part of the reason they bickered all the time-she wouldn’t take any of his .

He meandered down the path, with no clue where he was. He knew he was in China, in the neighbourhood Zhou Mi’s mother lived in. Whether or not her son was there at the moment was a different question, but it was the only place Kyuhyun thought he could be. He the phone in his pocket, desperately wishing he could call Zhou Mi.

He wouldn’t, of course. His stupid pride wouldn’t allow it. He doubted Zhou Mi would answer either. He seemed pretty determined to get away. Kyuhyun turned his head as tears threatened, feeling ridiculously girly. How was it that one Chinese man had managed to wrap him, the mighty Kyuhyun so much around his finger that he was on the verge of tears?

This was so unlike him-he didn’t do the tearful declarations of love American TV shows were so fond of perpetuating. He stayed quiet about it, part of the “Actions speak louder than words” school. This action of following Zhou Mi to China was pretty loud, but would Zhou Mi understand?

No, he wouldn’t. Zhou Mi was looking for the words, and if Kyuhyun couldn’t deliver, then he was going to lose him. Kyuhyun cursed his inability to speak about emotions, knowing it was typical for a guy. Zhou Mi must have lost that gene.

There. That was where Zhou Mi would be. He could feel it. He stood outside the house, watching the bright lights of the living room. Should he knock? Doubts started in his mind-what if Zhou Mi wasn’t there? What if Zhou Mi refused to see him? Was he even at the right house?

There was a car in the drive way-he was 90% sure this was where he was supposed to be. The other 10% was busily trying to convince him to get the hell out of here. He crushed that smaller part of him, and squared his thin shoulders. If he wanted Zhou Mi back, and he did, he had to go up to that door and say three words. He didn’t know why it was so hard, but it was. It was so hard he was considering not doing it, which was stupid because he knew, that to a certain extent, Zhou Mi was the best thing that had ever happened to him and he’d be an idiot if he let him go.

A ing idiot, that was what he was.

Well, if he was an idiot, he might as well continue with it and knock on that door. It was then, when Kyuhyun stood grappling with himself in an attempt to get to the door, that Zhou Mi chose to go out.

He opened the door, telling his parents goodbye. He was intending to go for a walk, his coat buttoned up, and his dogs’ lead wrapped around his fist. He walked down the path, missing Kyuhyun, missing the closeness they shared. He was sure that Kyuhyun would not come to him, that he’d broken off the relationship for good. He hadn’t told his parents why he was back with them, just muttered something about needing space. His mother and father, overjoyed to have him back anyway, hadn’t questioned it.

In this fashion, with both men absorbed in their own thoughts, walking in opposite directions, they bumped into each other. Kyuhyun, staring up at the house didn’t see the ‘stranger’ he’d knocked, and Zhou Mi looking down, hadn’t caught sight of him either.

“Sorry.” They said simultaneously, bowing their heads in apology. They looked up at the same time, eyes widening in utter shock as they saw who it was. Zhou Mi’s mouth, open as he was about to say something, closed, then fell open again.

“What are you doing here?” Zhou Mi asked hoarsely. He clutched his dogs lead even tighter, not registering where the dog was. The street was silent, the lamp they were standing under sputtering. It blinked out. Was Kyuhyun here…for him?

Kyuhyun swallowed, the sight if Zhou Mi making it hard to breathe. He was striking in the half light, the shadows following the sharp lines of his face. This was it, this was the moment where he had to open his mouth. Three little words. Three syllables. He could say it in Korean or Mandarin. It wasn’t hard.

Then why was he gulping like a fish?

Zhou Mi blinked, confused. “Kyuhyun?” Kyuhyun looked down. Why was it so difficult? Unnerved by his silence, Zhou Mi reached out, placing a hand on Kyuhyun’s skinny shoulder. He was tempted to cup Kyuhyun’s cheek, but he couldn’t, not after how they’d left things.

Kyuhyun scuffed his shoe on the pavement, kicking up a small drift of snow. He was just starting to register the cold, aware now that his breath was coming out in white puffs. Like a dragon, he remembered his mother telling him. Zhou Mi tightened his grip, seeing Kyuhyun start to shiver in his thin cotton jacket. He’d obviously not prepared for the cold, which was silly of him.

Zhou Mi sighed, sending a big gust of air into the atmosphere. “Do you want to come in? It’s freezing out here.” He couldn’t leave Kyu to freeze, even if they were broken up. Or whatever this impasse was.

“What about your dog?” Kyuhyun asked stupidly.

Zhou Mi rolled his eyes. “It’s not as if I can’t walk him later. He’s already been walked today, anyway. I was just trying to avoid my parents for a bit.” He pulled Kyuhyun. “Come on.”

Kyuhyun followed helplessly as Zhou Mi pulled him along. Zhou Mi opened the door, dropping his keys on the hall table. “Mum, I’m back.” He called. “And I brought someone with me.” Footsteps sounded as his mother descended the stairs.

“What are you doing back so early? You can’t have walked your dog that fast.” She walked in, smiling, and did a double take when she saw Kyuhyun. “Is that…Kyuhyun?” She asked, squinting up at him.

He nodded as Zhou Mi started to drag him up the stairs. “Thanks for, uh, letting me in…” He said as he disappeared up the stairs. Zhou Mi pushed open the door to his bedroom and shoved him on the bed roughly. Kyuhyun tried to get up, intending to apologise for this rude appearance to Zhou Mi’s mother.

“What are you doing? That was rude!” He told Zhou Mi, relishing the heat of the room. Zhou Mi shook his head.

“Believe me, I was doing you a favour. You don’t want twenty questions from my mother. She’ll be busy fussing over the dog now, so we’re safe. You need to warm up. What did you think you were doing, without a coat? It’s so cold!” He scolded, handing Kyuhyun a blanket. Kyuhyun sat on the bed and shivered, looking up at Zhou Mi when he passed him the blanket, trying to ignore the sparks Zhou Mi’s skin set off in him as their hands brushed in the exchange.

Zhou Mi leant against the wall, arms crossed, one long leg folded over the other. He raised one eyebrow. “You going to tell me what the hell you’re doing in China, alone?” He straightened up. “Or am I going to have to guess?”

The look he gave Kyuhyun was knowing, making Kyuhyun even more nervous. Wouldn’t Zhou Mi think he was ridiculous? “I came to…see you.” He said quietly, suddenly interested in the state of Zhou Mi’s duvet (it was white with a black pattern and neatly pressed, he noticed).

Zhou Mi was surprised, but he suppressed his reaction, wanting to see where this was going. “And…” He prompted softly. Kyuhyun slowly came up off the bed, walking towards Zhou Mi. He stopped in front of him, and reached out, one hand on Zhou Mi’s cheek. Zhou Mi closed his eyes and leaned into his hand. Kyuhyun took a deep breath in.

“I came to tell you something. I came…” He had to stop, the pressure of the moment unbearable. Zhou Mi’s eyes flew open, sensing the importance of what Kyuhyun was about to tell him.

“What?” Zhou Mi asked urgently, silently praying that he was about to hear what he’d wanted all along.

Kyuhyun came closer, close enough to whisper in his ear, his body barely touching Zhou Mi’s, his other hand resting on the wall, as Zhou Mi placed his hand over the one on his cheek. He could hear Zhou Mi’s breathing catch, watch as his pupils dilated. He leaned up and opened his mouth, breath hitting Zhou Mi’s ear.

“I love you.” He whispered in his ear. “I. Love. You. That’s what.” He pushed back, watching Zhou Mi’s expression. He took his hand back and stood there, proud of himself. He’d actually managed it. He felt relief-it felt amazing to admit it, to tell Zhou Mi that he did, in fact, love him.

Zhou Mi’s eyes closed as he savoured the moment. Finally, finally, Kyuhyun had told him the one thing he’d needed to hear, the one thing he’d never expected him to admit. It was oh-so tense in the room, only the light sound of their breathing breaking the quiet. Zhou Mi, aware that his mother could come in and ruin it at any second, couldn’t find the energy to move, trapped by the feelings Kyuhyun’s confession had brought to light.

The warm weight of an arm around him kept Kyuhyun awake. It wasn’t that he couldn’t sleep in Zhou Mi’s arms, it was that he didn’t want to. He preferred to stay awake, to think about the ramifications of his confession. It was all well and good to be back with his lover, but admitting that he loved him made him feel vulnerable, exposed. He’d never expected to fall in love, especially not with Zhou Mi, and to be quite honest, he wasn’t sure how it had happened.

When had it stopped being mere attraction? He’d spent most of his life detached, uncaring about most things-not nasty, just indifferent. It was a special person who got under his skin. Zhou Mi’s chest rose and fell peacefully, his sleep easy and restful. He wasn’t up, panicking about the fact he’d actually allowed himself to care about someone.

He shifted on the bed, turning so that he faced Zhou Mi, watching his eyes flicker as he dreamed. R.E.M. sleep, that was what it was. What was he dreaming about? Something about the way Zhou Mi’s mouth curved, his plump bottom lip pushed out in sleep, made Kyuhyun reach out and trace it, fingertips brushing lightly. The mouth opened, and Kyuhyun’s hand slipped back. Had Zhou Mi awoken?

He had, his eyes half open, still sleepy. “Why are you awake?” He asked Kyuhyun, propping himself up on the pillows to look at his alarm clock. “It’s 3:00 in the morning.” He yawned, his arm moving to Kyuhyun’s shoulders. “What’s up?”

Kyuhyun shook his head. “Nothing. I’m just not tired.” He shrugged, and sat up next to Zhou Mi. “You can go back to sleep.”

Zhou Mi ran a hand through his hair, doing nothing to alleviate the serious case of bed-head he had going on. He looked cute. Kyuhyun internally slapped himself. Cute? Maybe he was tired… “I think I’ll keep you company.” He said, peering searchingly into Kyuhyun’s face. “You seem to be in some serious thought. Want to tell me what about?” His expression was open, friendly, as if he genuinely wanted to help. But Kyuhyun shook his head-he didn’t think his musings on how he was feeling right now were relevant. Zhou Mi’s willingness to help was part of the reason he was Kyuhyun’s closest, well, friend, as well as his lover. Only to Zhou Mi would he tell his problems, because Zhou Mi listened and didn’t give him the ty ‘it’ll be okay…’ answers. He slipped back down onto his back and stared up at the ceiling.

“Nope. Go back to sleep-it’s just late at night, and I’m trying to figure out how to get past the next level in Starcraft.” Zhou Mi raised his eyebrows and muttered “Obsessive, much?”

Kyuhyun elbowed him. “Shall I mention the dance you did when you found out Armani were having a sale? On TV, as well…” Zhou Mi’s eyes narrowed.

“Touché, Kyu, touché…”

“Let’s just agree we’re as obsessive as each other.” Kyuhyun said, and tried to burrow down back under the covers. Zhou Mi pulled him back up.

“Not so fast…” He told him as he kissed him, pressing Kyuhyun down on the bed, legs tangling. Kyuhyun kissed back fiercely, arms wrapping around Zhou Mi. Before it could go any further, though, he pulled back.

“Zhou Mi.” Zhou mi looked at him.

“I love you.” He said, before he wrapped his arms around Zhou Mi and buried his face in his chest. “Never forget it.”