A whole month since I last updated, I'm so sorry~

In my defense, I got a new job and as great as it is, it does takes a a lot of my time and by the end of each day I was just ready to collapse into bed. But luckily I manage to steal some time and wrote this, so hoefully you'll enjoy :D

Time frame: right after the end of Chapter 51

The warmth was lulling and comforting and if he could, Yixing would’ve like to sleep some more. But the crick in his neck was starting to hurt really badly and with a groan he opened his eyes, closing them again quickly when the harsh light threatened to blind him.  Forcing his eyes open again only to blink blearily, it took some time for him to look around him.

His eyes first sighted the pale pastel tapestry that hung on the wall just in front of him and in his groggy mind Yixing wondered since when do they change the painting that was there before. Not that he mind, the previous painting was of a rural landscape of a northwest county from Sagiv and even with how beautiful it was painted, Yixing was never too fond of it.

Stifling a yawn his hand reached out to pull the blanket closer but immediately frowned when he touched silky sheets. His blanket was never this soft….

Now that his mind was slightly more awake, he began to look around him more clearly, noticing the large drawer and a seating arrangement by the other side of the room. He didn’t remember his quarter to be this large, nor that it was filled with cheery, feminine colors.  Though the room he was in was strangely familiar…

His eyes opened wide as realization struck him hard. He wasn’t in his own room, he was in Iola’s! But…how?!

A sleepy mumbles was heard besides him and his neck snapped to the side so fast he cringed at the painful whiplash but his mouth opened in horror when he saw that not only did he woke up in Iola’s bed, but the occupant of the room herself was also sleeping next to him.

They were both half-lying, half-sitting, leaning against the bed’s headboard, a not so comfortable position that would explained the crick in his neck. Iola was still sleeping soundly, her body rising up and down slowly with her deep breathing. He still gaped with opened mouth, scrutinizing her face to make sure what he saw was real, that he was really in the same bed as her. As his eyes travelled down her face, it stopped at and for a second Yixing’s eyes stared at it, wondering how it would feel under his own.

Yixing shook his head. Now wasn’t the time to be thinking things like that, though he had to admit these kinds of thought had been swimming around in his head quite often. He had a taste of her lips before and was dying to kiss her again, but was waiting for the perfect time. As he glanced back at the pale rose of her lips, he realized it would be so easy to just lean down slightly and…

Yixing slapped himself. Hard.

No, no, no! He would not let his traitorous body betray him now, especially when there were more urgent matters at hand. Like how did they end up at her bed?

For the life of him he couldn’t remember what happened last night that led them to this. Surreptitiously he peeked under the blanket and heaved out a sigh at the sight of their still fully-clothed selves. He told himself it was sigh of relief but a small, devilish voice in his head that sounded suspiciously like Luhan’s scoffed and told him otherwise.

Shaking his head to clear his mind (and because he didn’t need Luhan’s voice so early in the morning), he began to try to piece out whatever happened between them last night.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Things have been going rather well between Iola and Yixing.

After the first few disastrous dates, Yixing realized that it doesn’t matter how and when, the most important thing was just to spend time together and getting to know each other better so he try to just do that.

Easier said than done.

For some unknown reason, his brothers had been around them much more than he would like, as if they were trying to monopolize Iola all to themselves.

During council or assembly meeting, either Joonmyun or Wufan would take the place besides her. On peluda riding lesson Jongdae, or Chanyeol or Baekhyun would volunteer to ride with her and keeping her safe from harm. Even during their free time Tao, Sehun or Jongin would immediately hang all over her, demanding her full, undivided attention. Kyungsoo or Minseok might not be as obvious compared to the others, but judging by Minseok’s narrowed eyes or the silent glare Kyungsoo threw at him while still keeping that same, stoic expression when Yixing wanted to sit next to Iola, he figured that the other Guardians also didn’t approve of it much.

The only one who didn’t change was Luhan. He’d just shook his head in mock pity and a sly grin on whenever Yixing complained about the others, patting his shoulder in a silent, condescending manner.

Yixing loves his brothers, he truly do, but he had to admit that they were driving him crazy and was seconds away from exploding.

He was at his wit’s end when one day Iola suddenly pulled him behind his brothers, whispering instruction to come to her room later at night. Before he could utter any question she was gone, and Yixing was left waiting for the night to come.

Awkwardness was thick in the air when he knocked on her room later on, and judging by the red blush permeating her cheeks Iola felt it too. It wasn’t the first time they were alone, nor was it the first time he was there, but it was the first time they were together alone in her room at a time where everyone else had already retired to their own quarters.

The drachensteins growled lowly when he entered the room, but was quickly hushed to silence with a click of Iola’s tongue, though Yixing felt their curious and wary eyes heavily as he settled himself down on one of the divan on her sitting space. Iola took a seat beside him, mumbling a sheepish explanation that with how the other Guardians had been hovering around her, she figured this was the only free time for them to just spend time together.

Yixing had grin widely at that; he didn’t even realize that she knew about his frustration. After some awkward chuckles and shy gazes, they settled back being comfortable around each other again and spent hours just talking.

It became a r