Not in Public
2079 words; Yixing is forgetful, and they go to breakfast.

“Crap crap crap,” Yixing mutters. They’re going to be late, he knows but he isn’t ready yet. “Where's my iPod—Jongdae have you seen my ipo—”

“On the kitchen counter.” Jongdae says, buttoning up his coat and putting on his muffler.

“Oh thanks.” He hears Yixing call from the kitchen. “Hey do you know where my ear buds are?” Yixing asks and Jongdae shakes his head.

“Night stand. Your side.” He says and Yixing comes into the bedroom going straight for his ear buds. “If you kept them together you wouldn’t have this problem.” Jongdae says handing Yixing his gloves.

“Yeah I know, I know.” Yixing laughs it off, “Next time I’ll remember for sure,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck. He takes his gloves from Jongdae and brings his other hand up to cup Jongdae’s cheek.

“Right,” Jongdae says instead of “You shouldn’t make dumb promises.” He leans in to kiss Yixing, and wraps the muffler around his boyfriend’s neck.

“I think that’s it—no wait,” it’s not until he puts on his gloves that he notices something else is missing. “Where's my bracelets...”

“On the table next to the couch even though I keep telling you to put them in the dresser.” Like a normal person. “What do you think? Glasses or no glasses?” Jongdae asks holding up his black thick framed glasses up for Yixing to see. “Yixing.” He says when he doesn’t receive an answer.

“Hm? You look good in whatever, Jongdae.” Yixing mumbles absently. He’s riffling through his duffle bag. Today the studio’s closed so his dance classes are meeting in the western auditorium and the stage is always cold—it’d be freezing to any sane person but is Yixing so it’s just cold.

“That’s not what I asked.” Jongdae mutters, putting his hands on his hips and then thinks better of it and turns back to look in the mirror. Looking himself over once more, he decides to go ahead and wear the glasses, liking the way they make him look smart.

“And your red sweats are in the wash so you're going to have to wear the black ones.” Jongdae glances at Yixing through the mirror. “The ones with the blue stripes on the sleeves.” The black ones weren’t as warm but they would do. “Oh and your report’s in your backpack. I put it there when you left it on your desk last night—like usual. And I put those sheet papers in the top drawer of your desk with all the other papers, but I put Bach in a folder in your backpack and...what?” Yixing was looking at him like he’d grown another head or something.

“What?” Jongdae says again, turning around to face the older boy. It’s probably the first time this morning since they’ve gotten out of bed that Yixing has given him his full attention but it makes Jongdae feel like he has something embarrassing on his face. “It is the glasses?” He says moving his hands to take them off.

“No, no.” Yixing says quickly. “The glasses are fine. You look wonderful. More than wonderful.”

“Oh, okay then.” Jongdae drops his hands. “Then what is it?” He says impatiently because now he’s starting to actually get worried.

“Did you also pack me lunch?” Yixing asks and Jongdae kind of wants to throw his hands up. He hates diversions. Why can’t Yixing ever give him a straight up answer?

“I didn't know what you wanted so I just packed the same as mine and I put those snacks that you liked. Now what is it? Is there something on my face? What?” He wants to know but Yixing just stares dumbly at him.

“Nothing, it’s just…” He mutters and Jongdae’s pretty sure he’s doing this on purpose now. He makes an exasperated noise and walks out of the bedroom. Yixing follows not long after.

“Oh yeah—don’t buy soda today. You already drink so much of it. Drink the tea I packed you and why do you keep looking at me that way?” Jongdae huffs, sitting himself of the back of the couch. He crosses his arms and throws a halfhearted glare at Yixing.

“Nothing,” he says clearing his throat. “It’s nothing. I won’t go to the vending machines today. Whatever you want.” He walks up to Jongdae and pulls his arms apart. He leans down and kisses Jongdae’s cheek, then pulls back. Yixing laughs quietly because he’d been kidding about lunch, not that Jongdae has to know that.

“What’s so funny.” Jongdae cups Yixing’s chin so the older boy is looking at him. Jongdae’s gloves are smooth along his skin. His lips are pressed together in a sort of not-pout. That frustrated look crosses his face again and Yixing laughs again.

“It’s just—I love you okay?” Yixing presses a kiss to Jongdae's lips. Jongdae's cheeks flush a slight red but once the surprise has wears off he’s looking at Yixing with that leveled gaze, one eyebrow raised.

“I know” he says. Was that all? That still doesn’t explain the laughing but this is Yixing so Jongdae will overlook it. “Now hurry up and get dressed. We're going to Amy’s and you’re paying. I wanna get there before the breakfast rush.”

•♦•

“Yixing?” Jongdae touches his arm. “Geeze. I don’t even know why I try. You never listen to me.”

“You and Joonmyun have some project to work on and Kyungsoo keeps distracting you guys. I'm listening. Keep going.” He says, sipping his iced coffee. He finished his waffles a while ago. They were waiting for Jongdae to finish his breakfast before leaving the diner and heading for the campus.

Jongdae eyes him wearily. He titles his head to side, his lips pressed into a slight pout that Yixing finds completely adorable. Of course he doesn't tell Jongdae this because the last time he told Jongdae he was adorable was last night while they were in bed. Jongdae had had his arms wrapped around him, his body was completely flushed in the most brilliant shade of red Yixing had ever seen, and making the most sounds Yixing had ever heard and on second thought…

"You’re adorable." He says, the smile on his lips widening as he watches Jongdae's cheeks tint and then flush when he begins to recall the events of last night. He half glares at Yixing but Yixing doesn't really mind because Jongdae’s hand stays on his arm. Jongdae can’t be that mad if he’s still touching Yixing.

"Not I'm public." Jongdae hisses.

“What? I can't compliment my boyfriend?” Yixing says deciding that he likes this look on Jongdae. It’s not something he gets to see every morning.

“But you're so cute when you pout.” He says in mandarin this time.

“Yixing!”

“What?” He makes a show of looking around the diner. It’s the breakfast rush and the diner is packed but no one is paying attention to them—except maybe the group of five girls in the booth by the window who keep sneaking looks at the two of them and the guy with that perpetual blush sitting behind them but Yixing chooses to selectively forget about them and focus on what's in front of him. Besides, he doubts any of them can understand mandarin. He tells Jongdae this, absently playing with their now intertwined hands.

“But it’s still—”

“Still public. I know.” Yixing knows. How could he forget when Jongdae doesn't even let him hold his hand ninety-nine point percent of the time they're in public. Hugs are okay sometimes, but kissing is impossible. The last time Yixing had stolen a kiss Jongdae had pushed him away and hadn’t gone anywhere near Yixing for half the day. He put him off for nearly half a week.

That had been last week and it’s much too soon for Yixing to accidentally forget again and steal another, not when Yixing was enjoying Jongdae actually facing him when they were in bed. Today's starting off to be a good day. This whole week had started off well and Yixing didn’t wasn’t looking to change that.

“I just like your face.” Yixing steals one of Jongdae’s sausages.

“Yixi—my face. That's it?” Jongdae’s hand stops midway. He narrows his eyes, affronted. Yixing thinks Jongdae would cross his arms too if Yixing wasn't currently holding one hand.

“Oh I like other things too.” Yixing steals another sausage. Jongdae slaps his hand away when he reaches for another.

“Like what?” Jongdae asks and Yixing smiles.

He scoots over on the stool so that he’s closer to Jongdae. Their thighs are pressing and Yixing leans closer so their sides are too. His hand sneaks its way to Jongdae’s hip, thumbing the waistband of his trousers. He feels Jongdae freeze under his touch. Yixing rests his head on Jongdae’s shoulders ignoring the incredulous look Jongdae is throwing at him.

“Not in public.” Yixing smirks, picking up Jongdae’s last sausage and popping it into his mouth.

“I hate you sometimes.” This time Jongdae puts everything he has into his glare and Yixing backs away accordingly.

“That's nice Jongdae. Hurry up finish your breakfast or we're gonna be late.”

•♦•

They arrived at campus fairly early. Jongdae’s classes don’t start until noon and Yixing’s aren’t until the next hour. Jongdae had planned on meeting Joonmyun in the student commons to go over their project in a couple minutes. Yixing has to be on stage at least ten minutes before the class actually starts anyway so they decide to go their separate ways a couple minutes after they entered the music building.

“Oh hey wait,” Jongdae grabs Yixing’s arm before Yixing can get too far, “Don't forget your lunch." He opens his bag and took out Yixing’s lunch box. For a while Yixing just stares at him with that dopey look on his face, kind of like the same one he had on this morning and oh, Jongdae thinks when Yixing starts to get closer.

“Not in public.” He whines but he leans in to the kiss anyway. “What’s up with you today? You're even spicier than usual.” Jongdae asks quietly when the kiss is broken. His hands cup Yixing’s face, caress his cheeks. He looks his boyfriend in the eyes. If there’s something wrong he has to know.

Yixing shakes his head just like he’s been doing the whole day—and it’s not even half over. The thought pops up in Jongdae’s mind and he groans internally. Yixing will drive him crazy. He just knows it.

“Am not.” Yixing smiles that easy smile of his. His hands come up to cover Jongdae’s. His thumbs rub small circles in the back of Jongdae’s hands.

“Are too.” Jongdae says because he can be stubborn too.

“Am not.” Yixing says. He grabs Jongdae’s hands and starts to walk, tugging him along.

“You’re so weird,” Jongdae mumbles, but follows without much fuss. He does complain though. “Where are we going anyway? The commons is that way,” he points in the opposite direction. “And yours isn't this way either.”

“Hm?” Yixing says absently, not answering Jongdae’s question. It goes on like this for a couple minutes, Jongdae asking questions and making comments and Yixing not answering. It becomes a sort of game, just one in the many they play.

After a while Yixing finally stops walking. He has his arms around Jongdae, holding him close. He leans in so that their foreheads are touching. One of his hands slips through Jongdae’s open jacket, under his hoodie and Jongdae shivers when he feels Yixing’s fingers on his skin.

"Yixing," Jongdae warns. He knows it’s been too short a time for Yixing to have forgotten about last week. He had made sure Yixing didn’t forget.

“I know. Not in public.” Yixing says and then pointedly looks around. They're alone in an empty hallway.

No one is around and even if someone was they wouldn’t see them. Yixing has them pressed in against the wall in between the wall ridges that jut out a couple feet. It’s private, secluded, and feels a little like hiding and Jongdae feels silly. He feels like a kid but when Yixing places a finger under his chin, lifts his head up so they’re eyes meet, it doesn’t seem to matter anymore.

“This is okay?” Yixing says. Jongdae can feel his breath on his lips.

“Yeah,” he says, leaning in and closing the small gap between them. This is perfect.